Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-01-26
Protein In Pig Rations.
&C. W. Burkett.)

Several times during the past year l
have said things about the importance of
protein in feeding rations. For one
thing | have urged that protein-carry-
ing foods be used with corn in feeding
pigs and shoats, and especially 80 If the
pigs are not fortunate in having the run
on green forage. know that many hog
raisers depend on corn very largely If not
entirely for the grain food; but these
successful people raise clover, cowpeas,
alfalfa or mixed grasses 10 which free
access is given from early spring until
penued up for the finishing touches of
fatteniug. With this method of raising
pork, have no fault to find. Ii is ex-
csllent and experimental tests back 1t
up.
However, there often comes time on
every farm when green crops are not
available; when corn is the only food
that seems possible to provide. Corn
may be all right for aged hogs, but for
pigs II is inadequate. 1t lacks protein
aud growth is checked. In such in
stances, corn ought TO be reinforced
with tanksge, or linseed meal, OF gluten,
or middlings, or skim milk. Even a
very small allotment will show very
marked results.
In proof of this statement we have the
report of some highly interesting expert
ments by II. j. Waters of the Kansas
station. Waters has fed pigs from an
early age to maturity on corn alone,
When such a ration was supplied and
the soil minerals also denied, the pigs
a al fhaD N
thrifty, and many died. The ration,
YOU see, was deficient in ash and pro-
tein. Even when given all the corn the
pigs would take, they remained small,
even to an age of year or more. Waters
found that if a pig survived on corn
alone until il was year or so old, II
would pick up, and gain 10 weight until
reaching a marketable finish. That's all
right, but keeping a pig until it is nearly
two years old, takes every penny OF
profit and leaves loss.
In this same experiment when ash
materials were supplied with the corn,
no marked gains resulted. On the 9th
or hand, when protein in any form was
given, growth was FASTENED, and flesh
and increase were heavily developed on
the frame. One surprising thing result
ed. Even though protein was fed but
once a week, it showed rather remark
able effect on the amount of protein
stored in the body. In this case pro-
teiu, being fed every seventh day, show
ed a deposit of 10 pounds of protein in
the body as against six pounds in the
carcass of another pig fed corn exclu-
sively during a six months feeding Pc
riod. This shows how very important
protein is, even though fed sparingly
and infrequently.
There is a very striking conclusion to
be drawn from these tests-the need OF
protein in the pig ration. You can get
the protein from the legumes, good pas
lures, tanksge, linseed meal, middlings,
gluten, bean and pea meals, skim milk
q wide selection, you will agree. But
whatever form you select, you may be
certain that the addition will not only
hasten growth and maturity but will
save feed and make your combination
ration not only more productive, but a
deal cheaper than the exclusive corn ra
ton provides. After all, economy is
what we are after. We want to make
six or seven months pigs weigh 200 to
25O pounds at the cheapest cost. Legu
minous forage crops during early pig
life is the first step. Mixing protein
carrying goods with corn 10 the second
step. When these steps are taken you
get to the point where hogs mature
early at low cost per pound Of gain.