Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-11-22
PRODUCTION OF
WINTER PORK
Costs Higher Than During the
Spring and Summer
Months
BY III. G. Niesley, Dauphin County
Farm Agent

arm ABChJ
The cost of producing a pound of
pork is higher during the winter
| than during the spring and summer
This is true in all cases If the hog
| FEEDER makes use of pasture
throughout the growing season.
Information is frequently sought
regarding good grain combinations
for fattening hogs during the winter
| months. According to DR.. II. FL.
Havner, in charge of animal husban-
dry extension at the Pennsylvania
State College, two things should re-
suit If a feed combination is salts
factory, viz:
% The fattening shotes should
make reasonably good gain per
day.
CD The cost per pound gain ow-
ing to wise combination of foods
should be as low as the market
price of feeds will allow.
Not only do fattening shotes re-
quire heat producing feed but they
also require a feed which will fur
| nish protein as protein is needed
for growth of body tissues. Corn at
quotations) will furnish fat and heat
at the lowest cost Protein can be
supplied by the use of skimmilk or
buttermilk. If these protein feeds
are not available, tankage, although
selling at So to $3.50 per hundred
weight, will furnish the growing ma
I terial at the lowest cost per pound of
digestible protein. A limited amount
of wheat middlings or rye chop may
be added to the corn and tankage
combination provided the price is
not prohibitive.
, A good way to feed the middlings
and tankage when pigs are being
started on new corn is to make up a
mixture of 800 pounds of wheat
, middlngs and 100 pounds of tank
age. For shotes weighing 75 to 100
pounds, slop once a day with one
pound of this mixture per pig. In
addition feed twice daily all the new
corn the pigs will eat up clean.
1t is advisable to start fattening
shoteS on a moderate amount of
new corn. The amount of corn can
be increased gradually each day and
no trouble will result from scour-
ing or overfeeding. Ear corn can be
fed until the new crop has been
cribbed long enough to shell and
grind.
When cornmeal is fed a mixture
of 600 parts of cornmeal, 200 parts
of wheat middlings and 100 parts
of tankage will be satisfactory for
fattening purposes. If good grade
of feeding tankage cannot be secur
ed, $50 parts of oil meal may be
used instead of 100 parts of tank
age. Feed from two to three and
one-half pounds of this mixture per
100 pounds liveweight of shotes
daily. Ground feed should be mixed
with water and fed as a thick slop
If cold weather it will be necessary
to use warm water or else feed the
grain mixture dry.
The appetite of the pigs should
regulate, in a large measure, the
amount of feed per day. The above
standard is valuable only as guide
to the proper amount to be fed.
If a supply of food skimmilk or
buttermilll is available, either may be
fed with corn at the rate of two to
three pounds of mix for every pound
| of corn Such a combination makes
| a good growing and fattening feed.
When skimmilk and corn are fed,
, the efficiency of the feed can be in
creased by the addition of a small
I amount of feeding tankage. Not
more than one-fourth pound of
tankage per day need be fed. 1t
may be fed dry or mixed with a little
/ wheat middlings and fed as a thick
slop with milk or water.
Fattening shotes should be pro-
vided with dry and comfortable
sleeping quarters. The health and
thrift of the shotes will be much
better if the pens are kept dry and
free from dust.
Attacks of rheumatism and lame
ness will be less likely to occur if the
shotes are allowed access to a dry
and well drained lot adjoining the
sleeping quarters. ease