PORK PRODUCTION SMITH The Rural Science Series L.H. Bailev Editor iAIN L 5 S2R A PY- AGRICULTURE DF.F" r Stije Eural Science Series EDITED BY L. H. BAILEY PORK-PRODUCTION EJje Hurai Science Series EDITED BY L. H. BAILEY THE SOIL. King. THE SPRAYING OF PLANTS. Lodeman. MILK AND ITS PRODUCTS. Wing. Enlarged and Revised. THE FERTILITY OF THE LAND. Roberts. THE PRINCIPLES OF FRUIT-GROWING. Bailey. 20th Edition, Revised. BUSH-FRUITS. Card. Revised. FERTILIZERS. Voorhees. Revised. THE PRINCIPLES OF AGRICULTURE. Bailey. Revised. IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE. King. THE FARMSTEAD. Roberts. RURAL WEALTH AND WELFARE. Fairchild. THE PRINCIPLES OF VEGETABLE-GARDENING. Bailey. FARM POULTRY. Watson. Enlarged and Revised. THE FEEDING OF ANIMALS. Jordan. (Now Rural Text-Book Series. Revised.} THE FARMER'S BUSINESS HANDBOOK. Roberts. THE DISEASES OF ANIMALS. Mayo. THE HORSE. Roberts. How TO CHOOSE A FARM. Hunt. FORAGE CROPS. Voorhees. BACTERIA IN RELATION TO COUNTRY LIFE. Lipman. THE NURSERY-BOOK. Bailey. (Now Rural Manual Series.) PLANT-BREEDING. Bailey and Gilbert. Revised. THE FORCING-BOOK. Bailey. THE PRUNING-BOOK. Bailey. (Now Rural Manual Series.) FRUIT-GROWING IN ARID REGIONS. Paddock and Whipple. RURAL HYGIENE. Ogden. DRY-FARMING. Widtsoe. LAW FOR THE AMERICAN FARMER. Green. FARM BOYS AND GIRLS. McKeever. THE TRAINING AND BREAKING OF HORSES. Harper. SHEEP-FARMING IN NORTH AMERICA. Craig. COOPERATION IN AGRICULTURE. Powell. THE FARM WOODLOT. Cheyney and Wentling. HOUSEHOLD INSECTS. Herrick. CITRUS FRUITS. Coit. PRINCIPLES OF RURAL CREDITS. Morman. BEEKEEPING. Phillips. SUBTROPICAL VEGETABLE-GARDENING. Rolfs. TURF FOR GOLF COURSES. Piper and Oakley. THE POTATO. Gilbert. STRAWBERRY-GROWING. Fletcher. WESTERN LIVE-STOCK MANAGEMENT. Potter. PEACH-GROWING. Gould. THE SUGAR-BEET IN AMERICA. Harris. PORK-PRODUCTION. Smith. PORK-PRODUCTION BY WILLIAM W. SMITH, M.S. A. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY PURDUE UNIVERSITY WITH A CHAPTER ON THE PREVENTION OF HOG DISEASES BY E. A. CRAIG, D.V.M. PROFESSOR OP VETERINARY SCIENCE, PURDTTE UNIVERSITY AND CHIEF VETERINARIAN, PURDUE AGRICUL- TURAL EXPERIMENT STATION THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1923 All rights reserved COPTBIOHT, 1920, BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. Set up and electrotyped. Published June, 1920, MAIN LtBWAKY-Anmo'H Ti JRE DCPT. J. S. Gushing Co. —Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. PREFACE THE material in this book has been drawn from three sources : from practical experience ; experimental studies, particularly of feeding questions; and the results of re- search in the field of chemistry and biology. The dis- cussion on general care and herd management is chiefly a statement of the methods that have proved most suc- cessful in practical experience. That part of the book dealing with questions of feeding is largely the result of a careful analysis and summary of the mass of experi- mental data available on this subject. The discussion of breeding problems has for its foundation the approved methods of the constructive breeders and the important facts recently discovered in the field of genetics which have a bearing on the practical questions related to animal breeding. In its preparation the author has sought and received' many facts and suggestions from hog men, commission salesmen, experiment station workers, packing-house officials, and animal husbandry teachers, without which the book in its present form would not have been possible. For the help thus received he wishes to express grateful acknowledgment. For much of the data presented in chapter five he is indebted to W. J. Carmichael formerly of Illinois University and now secretary of the National Swine Growers Association. To the members of the Animal Husbandry staff of Purdue University he wishes to express his appreciation of their kindly criticisms, encouragement, and help. W. W. SMITH PURDUE UNIVERSITY, January 1, 1920 V 553066 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGES GENERAL VIEW 1-9 CHAPTER II FEEDING AND HANDLING THE HERD IN THE BREEDING SEASON 10-32 Feeding the sows ....... 10-14 Rations 11-13 Amount to feed ....... 13-14 Feeding the boar 14-17 Demands ........ 14-15 Rations 15-16 Amount to feed 16 Exercise 16-17 General considerations 17-23 Length of gestation period 18-19 Age to breed the gilt 19-20 Using the young boar 20-21 Early or late pigs 21-23 Mating 23-32 Systems 23-25 Time in the day to breed the sows ... 25 The breeding-crate 25-26 Number of sows which the boar can breed . 26-28 Records 28-32 CHAPTER III THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF THE BREEDING HERD IN THE WINTER .... 33-68 General management 33-38 Housing 33-35 vii viii Table of Contents PAGES Sanitation 36 Water 37 Exercise 37-38 Feeding pregnant sows and gilts .... 39-63 Demands 39-40 Corn alone as a feed for pregnant sows . . 40-43 Other grains for pregnant sows .... 43-44 Value of legume hays for pregnant sows . . 44-46 Methods of feeding alfalfa hay .... 46-50 Methods of balancing corn for pregnant gilts . 50-52 Other protein supplements 52-53 The value of succulence ..... 53-54 Conclusions ....... 54-58 Amount to feed 58-62 Preparation of feeds and methods of feeding . 62-63 Feeding the mature boar ...... 64 Feeding the open gilts and young boars . . . 64-65 The feed cost of wintering pregnant sows . . . 65-68 CHAPTER IV CARE AND FEEDING OF THE Sow AND LITTER . . 69-95 Care during the farrowing season .... 69-80 Preliminary care and feeding .... 71-72 Care at farrowing time ..... 72-73 Needle teeth . . . . . . . 74 Feeding just after farrowing .... 74-75 Pig-eaters 75-76 Sanitation and exercise 76 Marking the litters 76-80 Feeding and care to weaning time .... 80-89 Feeding 81-83 The pig-creep 83-84 Scours 84-85 Weaning 85-86 Gains made by pigs from birth to weaning . 86-88 Castration 88-89 Culling out the unproductive sows .... 89-90 Herd records 90-91 Table of Contents IX The cost of feeding the sow and litter from farrow- ing to weaning time 91-95 CHAPTER V SIZE OF LITTERS; BIRTH WEIGHT OF PIGS; MILK-FLOW OF Sows . 96-116 Size of litters 96-107 Age of sow 96-100 Feeding and condition of the sow . . . 100-101 Cross-breeding 101-102 Influence of the boar 102-103 Type, breed, individuality 104-105 The number of pigs raised 105-107 Birth weight of pigs 107-113 Sex 107-108 Age of sow 108-110 Cross-breeding 110 Size of litter Ill Vigor of sow and boar at breeding time . . 111-112 Nutrition . 112-113 Milk production of sows 113-116 CHAPTER VI THE SUMMER FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE BREEDING HERD 117-127 Feeding and management of the pregnant sows . 117-122 Number of litters in a year .... 117-119 Feeding and management 119-122 Feeding and management of the open sows . . 122-124 Fattening the culls ...... 122 Feeding and management of the open brood sows 123 Feeding the yearling sows . . . . .124 Cost of summer feeding sows 124-127 Bred sows . 124-126 Open mature sows ...... 126-127 Open yearling sows 127 Table of Contents CHAPTER VII PAGES FEEDING AND CARE OP GROWING AND FATTENING PIGS 128-152 The weight and type of pig desired by the market . 128-130 General systems of handling and feeding . . . 130-132 Food demands of the growing and fattening pig . 132 Corn as a pig feed 133-141 Experiments demonstrating the deficiencies of corn alone as a feed for growing and fatten- ing pigs 133-141 The advantages of forage crops .... 141-152 Dry lot versus forage feeding .... 141-146 Feeding skim-milk on forage . . . .146 Corn alone versus corn and forage . . . 147-148 Summary of benefits from growing forage crops . 148-152 CHAPTER VIII CHOOSING A FORAGE CROP: EXPERIMENTAL FEEDING TRIALS 153-193 Essentials of an ideal forage .... 153-154 Medium red clover ....... 154-157 Clover versus alfalfa 155-156 Clover versus rape ...... 156-157 Other clovers 157-158 Alfalfa 159-162 Alfalfa versus rape ...... 159-161 Alfalfa versus sweet clover ..... 161-162 Dwarf Essex rape 162-166 Early versus late rape and other forages . . 164-165 Winter rape . . . . . . . 165-166 Combinations : Canadian field peas, oats, clover, rape 166-170 Forage mixtures for fall pigs .... 167-169 Oats versus other forages ..... 169-170 Rye* 170-174 Rye as a winter forage 171-172 "Hogging-down" ripe rye 172-174 Blue-grass: timothy . . . . . . . 174-177 Blue-grass and timothy versus clover and alfalfa 175-177 Table of Contents XI Sorghum-cane ...... Soybeans Limited versus full feeding on soybeans Soybeans versus rape .... Cowpeas ....... Cowpeas versus dry lot Peanuts ; velvet bean ; chuf as . Peanut forage versus dry lot Recommendations for forage crop plantings PAGES 177-178 178-182 180-181 181-182 182-185 183-185 185-188 186-188 189-193 CHAPTER IX METHODS OF FEEDING ON FORAGE .... 194-227 The composition of forage crops .... 194-195 Experimental feeding trials 195-208 Supplements for pigs on rape .... 198-200 Amount of supplements on alfalfa . . . 200-202 Supplements for pigs on winter rye . . . 202-203 Supplements for pigs on timothy and blue-grass 203-205 Corn alone on clover ...... 205-206 Oats, Canadian field peas, and rape . . . 206 General summary 207-208 Feeding a grain ration to pigs on forage . . . 208-222 Pigs intended for market 209-220 Rate and cost of gains during forage season 210-212 Rate and cost of gains during the entire breeding period • 212-216 Time of marketing as affected by system of feeding 216-217 Summary and conclusions .... 217-220 Pigs intended for the breeding herd . . . 220-222 Possible dangers from full feeding . . 220 Conditions which affect the problem . . 220-221 Summary and conclusion .... 221-222 General management of the pigs in the summer . 223-225 Sanitation 223 Ringing 223-224 Shade and water . 224-225 Xll Table of Contents Feed cost of raising the pig to market weight or breeding age ..... 225-227 CHAPTER X HOGGING-DOWN CORN 228-238 "Hogging-down" versus yard feeding . . . 228-231 Supplemental forage crops 231-236 Field management 236-238 CHAPTER XI FATTENING PIGS IN THE DRY LOT (THE USE OF NITROGE- NOUS OR PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS) . . 239-279 Dairy by-products 240-254 Buttermilk versus skim-milk .... 244-245 Skim-milk and buttermilk versus other supple- ments 245-248 Skim-milk or buttermilk versus tankage . . 248-249 Whey 249-252 Precautions in feeding dairy products . . 252-254 Packing-house by-products 254-264 Corn alone versus corn and tankage . . . 256-258 Tankage versus linseed-oil meal .... 258-259 Tankage versus wheat shorts or middlings . . 259-260 Corn and tankage versus corn, shorts, and tank- age 261-262 Tankage versus soybean meal .... 262-263 Summary 263-264 Linseed-oil meal 264-270 Linseed-oil meal versus tankage .... 266-267 Linseed-oil meal versus wheat shorts or middlings 267-269 Linseed-oil meal versus soybean meal (ground soybeans) 269 Summary 269-270 By-products from the manufacture of wheat flour . 270-276 Shorts or middlings versus skim-milk or butter- milk 274-275 Summary ........ 275-276 General summary 276-279 Table of Contents xin CHAPTER XII PAGES OTHER CEREAL GRAINS FOR GROWING AND FATTENING PIGS 280-299 Barley 281-285 Barley versus corn 281-283 Barley rations for bacon-production . . . 283-285 Wheat 285-291 Wheat versus corn 285-287 Wheat versus one-half wheat and one-half corn 287-288 Dry whole wheat versus soaked whole wheat . 288-289 Soaked whole wheat versus ground whole wheat 289-290 Wheat alone versus wheat and a protein supple- ment ........ 290 Frosted versus sound wheat .... 290-291 Rye 291-293 Oats 293-296 Oats versus corn 294-296 Kafir, milo, cane 296-299 Kafir versus corn . . . 296-299 CHAPTER XIII CORN SUBSTITUTES AND OTHER BY-PRODUCTS FOR GROW- ING AND FATTENING PIGS Corn by-products Hominy feed Corn feed meal Corn germ meal Corn gluten meal and corn gluten feed Peanuts Peanut oil meal as a supplement to milo . Peanut meal versus linseed-oil meal versus tank- age Rice products Rice bran and rice polish versus corn . Rice bran versus peanuts and corn Cowpeas and soybeans .... Cowpeas versus corn .... Corn alone versus corn and soybeans . 300-332 300-309 300-303 303-304 304-307 307-309 309-312 309-310 311-312 312-315 312-313 313-315 315-317 315-317 317 XIV Table of Contents Cottonseed meal Dried distillers' and brewers' grains Molasses Roots: tubers .... Sweet potatoes . Potatoes .... Other roots Condimental stock foods . Experimental feeding trials Medicinal properties . Effect on digestion Conclusions PAGES 317-319 319 319-321 321-326 323-324 325-326 326 327-332 327-329 329-331 331 332 CHAPTER XIV PREPARATION OP FEEDS AND METHODS OF FEEDING . 333-349 Corn 333-341 Grinding corn 333-334 Soaking and grinding corn 335-336 Ear-corn versus shelled corn versus ground corn 336-338 General average results from grinding . . 338-339 Value of grinding as affected by age and finish of pigs 339-340 General conclusions 340-341 Small grains 341-343 Grinding and soaking 341-342 Cooking 342 Proportion of water in slop .... 342-343 Methods of feeding 343-349 Hand-feeding 343-344 The self-feeder 344-345 Self-feeding versus hand-feeding . . . 346-348 Summary and conclusions . . 348-349 CHAPTER XV THE COST OF PRODUCING PORK General observations 350-361 359-361 Table of Contents xv CHAPTER XVI PAGES MARKETING AND MARKETS 362-390 Marketing 362-368 Shipping 363-366 Selling 366-367 Costs of marketing 367-368 Shipping hogs by motor truck 368 Market classes 368-376 Prime heavy hogs 370 Butcher hogs 370-371 Packing hogs 371-372 Light hogs 372-373 Pigs 373-374 Roughs 374 Stags 374-375 Boars 375 Miscellaneous classes 375-376 Supply and price fluctuations and their usual causes 376-390 Monthly variations in the supply . . . 377-381 Variations in the daily supply .... 381-382 Variations in the yearly supply .... 382-383 Weight as a factor in supply .... 384-386 Seasonal variations in price .... 386-388 Yearly variations in price 388-390 CHAPTER XVII JUDGING 391-419 Types of hogs 392 Judging the finished fat barrow of the lard type . 393-401 Market requirements 393-395 The score-card 395-401 Judging the finished barrow of the bacon type . . 401-405 Market requirements 401-403 Score-card for bacon hogs 403-405 Judging breeding hogs of the lard type . . . 406-409 The breeder's requirements .... 406 A standard of excellence 406-409 XVI Table of Contents Important general points in judging . Size . . Form Feet and legs .... Condition Quality Sex characteristics and disposition Breed type characteristics . Judging gilts and young boars . Judging feeders PAGES 409-416 409-410 410-412 412 413 413-414 414-415 415-416 416-417 417-419 CHAPTER XVIII BREEDS OF HOGS The Poland-China . The Duroc-Jersey The Hampshire . The Berkshire . The Chester-White . The Spotted Poland-China The Large Yorkshire The Tamworth . 420-430 421-422 423 423-424 424-426 426-427 427-428 428^29 429-430 CHAPTER XIX BREEDING The law of heredity The process of reproduction " Like begets like " .... Variations Prepotency ..... Relative influence of the sire and dam Systems of breeding Up-grading ..... Cross-breeding ..... In-breeding Principles in the selection of breeding stock Individuality 431-457 431-441 431-433 433-434 434-439 440 440-441 441^49 441-443 443-445 445-449 449-453 450-451 Table of Contents xvn Pedigree Performance ...... Fundamental ideals in breed or herd improvement PAGES 451-453 453 454-457 CHAPTER XX THE PREVENTION OF HOG DISEASES .... 458-482 Relation of sanitation to disease .... 458—462 Disinfection of hog-houses and yards . . . 461-462 Relation of quarantine laws to disease . . . 462-463 Diseases of the digestive system .... 463-468 Stomatitis or sore mouth ..... 463-466 G astro-enteritis or inflammation of stomach and intestines 466-467 Diarrhea or scours in pigs 467-468 Diseases of the respiratory organs .... 468-469 Diseases of the nervous system 470-471 Partial or complete paralysis of the posterior portion of the body 470-471 Spasm of the diaphragm or thumps . . .471 Castration 471-473 Parasites of hogs 473-476 Infectious diseases ....... 477-482 Hog cholera 477-481 Tuberculosis 481-482 LIST OF PLATES I. Suitable conditions for the breeding boar . Frontispiece TO FACE PAGE II. Pregnant sows should have range during the winter; a practical method of feeding alfalfa hay ... 40 III. Three gilts, litter mates ; weights at six months — 170, 185, and 250 pounds. The evidence of good management and the promise of profits ... 98 IV. A visible demonstration of the deficiencies of corn alone for growing and fattening pigs ; a big smooth gilt with only two pairs of good teats, an expensive luxury 150 V. Sows and pigs on alfalfa ; pigs in clover ; pigs in rape 200 VI. Hogging-down corn and soybeans .... 240 VII. Pigs on the self-feeder; a practical convenience in hand-feeding 270 VIII. Champion pen Duroc- Jersey barrows; carcass of a model bacon hog; Number 1 Wiltshire side; pork cuts, lard hog 310 IX. Location of wholesale cuts of lard hog ; points of the hog 350 X. Representatives of the different breeds. Berkshire sow ; a champion Hampshire sow ; a champion Duroc- Jersey sow ; Chester- White boar . . . 390 XI. Representatives of the different breeds. Poland-China boar; a champion large Yorkshire sow; spotted Poland-China sow ; Tamworth sow .... 440 XII. Litter of pigs containing a reversion in color, the product of mating Berkshire- Yorkshire parents; Poland- China sow with litter of pigs by a Yorkshire boar ; Berkshire sow with litter of pigs by a Duroc-Jersey boar . . 470 PORK PRODUCTION CHAPTER I GENERAL VIEW THE important position which the hog occupies on the American farm is shown by the fact that 37 per cent of the world's supply of pork (not including China) is pro- duced in the United States. More hogs are raised in this country than in any other three countries combined, and more than double the number than in any other single country. Swine are usually most numerous in those countries in which the population is relatively dense. Their geographic distribution in the United States is most closely related to the distribution of the acreage of Indian corn. In the European countries the number follows closely the pro- duction of potatoes and the number of dairy cows.1 For statistics on the distribution of swine, see Figs. 1 and 2. Hogs are raised in every county of the United States, but about one-half is produced in the seven corn-belt states, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Indiana, and Ohio. North of the corn-belt proper and in the eastern states, the number of hogs is largely conditioned on home consumption needs and the development of the dairy industry. In these districts, barley and mill feeds 1 " Geography of the World's Agriculture," 1917, U. S. Dept. Agr., Off. Farm Management. B 1 2 Pork Production General View 3 with skim-milk, buttermilk, and whey constitute the chief feeds. Large feeding plants which depend chiefly on garbage collected from the large cities are an important recent development in the East. Few hogs are raised in the arid plains region of the West because the simple digestive apparatus of the pig is not adapted to the con- sumption of bulky feeds alone. Not enough hogs are produced here to supply the demand for pork products. The production in the South has not yet reached a point where home needs are supplied ; but with the necessity of adopting a more diversified system of management to maintain production, the cotton farmer promises to use his great natural advantages to increase the number of hogs. Pork production is an essential part of practically every type of farming in America. Even in districts which are exclusively grain-growing, the hog performs the important function of saving the wastes of the grain fields and in utilizing the offal from the kitchen and milk-room, as well as in supplying the home demand for fresh and cured pork products. The average general farm is never without some hogs for the same reasons. Dairy-farming cannot be conducted along the most efficient and profitable lines without a sufficient number of hogs to utilize the skim- milk, buttermilk, or whey which may be available for feeding, and the undigested grain in the dropping of the cows. It is doubtful whether any system of farming can as easily satisfy all the tenets of good farm management as a properly conducted dairy business which depends on its output of cream or butter and pork for its principal revenue. Hogs are essential to successful beef-production. The pork produced from the undigested grain from cattle in 4 Pork Production lot or pasture is clear gain and one of the most important profit-determining factors in cattle-feeding. For every bushel of corn fed shelled or on the ear to steers, the hogs following will produce from one to two pounds of pork on the average ; when the grain is fed crushed or as meal, from a quarter to a half pound of pork will be produced. In crop production the yield of grain in proportion to roughage is greater than necessary to meet the feed requirements of cattle or sheep and horses. This leaves a surplus of grain, much of which, in the case of corn especially, can be marketed more profitably as pork than in the raw condition. The value of small grain which has been damaged seriously by frost, hot winds, or ele- vator fire is very largely determined by its use in pig- feeding. The ability of the hog profitably to use corn which is so soft as to be practically unmarketable has made him popular on farms which do not ordinarily pro- duce many hogs. The important position which the hog occupies on the American farm has been gained through his inherent ability to render a profit above the costs of production. These profits are due largely to certain advantages which the hog enjoys as a producer of human food; these advantages are separately enumerated in the following paragraphs : 1. The demand for pork is wide and insistent. Except- ing dairy products, no animal food is so necessary in the diet or so universally used. In this country more pork is consumed than any other meat. Statistics collected by the United States Food Administration 1 show the following relative to the total per capita consumption of 1 " Production of Meat in the United States," Stephen Chase, 1919. General View 5 the different meats for the years from 1911 to 1918, inclusive : TABLE I. — PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION OP PORK COMPARED WITH OTHER MEATS 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 Av. Ib. Ib. Ib. Ib. Ib. Ib. Ib. Ib. Ib. Pork 93 88 91 88 92 96 72 86 88 Beef 81 75 74 72 73 76 75 79 76 Sheep and Lamb . 8.46 8.84 8.36 8.25 6.94 6.77 5.03 5.38 7.25 Veal 6.67 6.53 5.20 4.53 4.72 7.83 10.71 11.27 7.18 The demand for fat in this country and Europe is sup- plied chiefly by pork. The responsibility for meeting the world shortage of fat developed by the War rested most heavily, therefore, on the American pork-producer. On the average, the yield of lard constitutes about 1 1 per cent of the hog's live weight. No meat is preserved so successfully or transported so cheaply as pork. Pork products may be held in storage for long periods without sacrificing palatability or food value. 2. Hogs sell at relatively high prices. This is one of the results of the broad and insistent demand for pork products. The figures given in the following tabulation represent the average prices paid on the Chicago market for the different classes of live-stock for the twelve-year period from 1905 to 1916 inclusive : Native beef steers (not including butcher stock) $7 .05 per cwt. Native and western sheep 5.29 ' Yearling sheep 6.26 ' Native and western lambs 7.38 " " Hogs (all classes) 7.26 " " 6 Pork Production These figures indicate that, taking it from year to year, hogs outsell sheep and lambs or cattle. The larger proportion of dressed to live weight in the yield of hogs and the demand for lard are the principal reasons why higher prices are warranted. 3. Pork is produced eco- nomically. No other meat- producing animal on the farm produces human food as eco- nomically as the pig, despite the fact that concentrated WORLD TOTAL 162,800,000 HEAD LEADING COUNTRIES NUMBER PER IOOO POPULATION 100 ?00 300 tO <, 0' 60 700 800 ; DENMARK UNITED STATES VENEZUELA COLOMBIA CANADA ARGENTINA GERMAN EMPIRE AUSTRIA -HUNGARY LEADING COUNTRIES NUMBER PER SQUARE MILE DENMARK . BELGIUM GERMAN EMPIRE NtTHERLANDS AUSTRIA -HUNGARY SERVIA PORTO RICO__ FRANCE LEADING COUNTRIES MILLIONS OF SWINE UNITED STATES GERMAN EMPIRE RUSSIAN EMPIRE AUSTRIA -HUNGARY FRANCE UNITED" KINGDOM CANADA __ ARGENTINA __ Fia. 2. — Number of swine in leading countries. General View 7 foods necessarily make up the major part of his ration. The initial cost of the pig at birth is much less than it is for the calf or lamb, and the cost of the subsequent gains, whether measured in pounds of digestible nutrients or in dollars and cents, is in favor of the pig. The figures given below represent the average amount of feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain during the market-finishing period of steers, lambs and pigs : 1000-lb. Fattening steer . . 800 Ib. grain and 475 Ib. legume hay. 65-lb. Fattening lamb . . 400 Ib. grain and 500 Ib. legume hay. 200-lb. Fattening pig . . 450 Ib. grain and no hay. When to this is added the ability of the pig rapidly to convert into pork kitchen garbage, the undigested corn in the droppings of cattle, damaged grains, and dairy by- products, a still stronger statement of his efficiency and economy could be made. 4. It does not require much time to get a start in the hog business. The large number of pigs produced in each litter, the relatively short gestation period, the possibility of raising two litters annually, and the rapidity with which the gilts attain breeding age contribute to this result. The initial investment in starting a herd of hogs is less than with other classes of stock because fewer females will suffice. The length of time between periods of heavy and light production is shorter for hogs than for cattle or sheep. A shortage of meat consequently can be met more promptly with pork than with other meats. 5. Pigs can be sold at weights anywhere from 175 to 350 pounds with little sacrifice in price. This means that the feeder is comparatively free to take advantage of a 8 Pork Production good market by selling early or of feeding to heavier weights when the prospects of a better market are good. In the case of steers and lambs, the situation is entirely different. A variation of $1.00 to $1.50 a hundredweight in the selling price of cattle due to variation in finish or condition is common ; in the case of lambs also the variation in price is such that the feeder is restricted to a very narrow range of time and weight in marketing. 6. The market value of old sows which have done service in the breeding herd is higher than it is for cows or ewes. Heavy packing sows sell during the fall within 50 to 75 cents of the top of the market for prime fat barrows, according to pre-war quotations, and during the spring from 25 to 50 cents of the top. On the same markets the difference in price between choice to prime cows and the top for fat steers would exceed $3.00, and between choice ewes and prime fed lambs the spread would be $3.00 or more. Although sows are subject to a dock in some markets of twenty to forty pounds, fre- quently they sell for more after finishing a long career in the breeding herd than they cost at the beginning. This is an item of no small importance in the more eco- nomical production of pork. 7. The necessary equipment for the successful handling of a herd of hogs is not extensive nor expensive. This is particularly true when early pigs are not attempted. Suitable shelter must be provided for early-farrowing sows, but it need not be of a kind which would mean a burdensome overhead expense. Hogs are more susceptible to extreme heat than any other farm animal, but the cost of appropriate shades is little more than the time required to erect them. General View 9 8. The labor-cost of producing pork is low. Excepting beef cattle, no other farm animal requires so little labor in proportion to the value of the animals handled. With the more general use of forage crops in growing the pigs, the wide use of the self-feeder for feeding pigs intended for an early market, and the increasing popularity of the practice of hogging-down corn, labor costs are materially reduced. These facts have not been stated with the view of minimizing the hog raiser's responsibility in the proper care and management of his herd. It does not pay to raise hogs if their feeding and care are not given intelligent thought and consideration. Pigs cannot be raised suc- cessfully if the sows at farrowing time are allowed to shift for themselves. Clean dry quarters and balanced rations are necessary if the growing shotes make either rapid or economical gains. The money spent for a few good brood sows is well invested only if they are given the proper feeds, plenty of exercise, and sanitary quarters. It does not require much time to start in the hog business, provided the pigs are saved and properly developed ; but if systematic measures are not adopted for the control of lice, worms, plague, and cholera, the business will soon become a failure. CHAPTER II FEEDING AND HANDLING THE HERD IN THE BREEDING SEASON THE feeding, care, and general management of the herd during the breeding season determine in large measure the results at farrowing time. The treatment received by the sows and boar at this time affects the size and even- ness of the litters and the strength and activity of the pigs at birth. In addition, it is usually desirable to have the sows farrow about the same time, which is only pos- sible by proper feeding and systematic attention to the details of care and management. FEEDING THE SOWS The immediate objects which the feeder should seek are the prompt appearance of heat in the sows, their susceptibility to impregnation, and the production by each sow of a large number of vigorous eggs during the heat period. The fundamental essential in securing these results is a vigorous condition of health on the part of the sows during the breeding season. In order that the sows may be at the maximum of breed- ing thrift, it is necessary that special attention be given their feeding and care several weeks before mating. Ma- ture sows which are thin in the fall as the result of plenty of grass and exercise' and little or no grain, are in ideal condition for this preliminary treatment. Sows which 10 Feeding and Handling the Herd 11 have weaned fall litters are also in good condition to respond favorably. This treatment, known among shepherds as 'flushing,' consists in feeding the sows so as to cause them to gain from three-quarters to a pound daily two weeks before the opening of the breeding season and until they are safely in pig. The practical effect of such feeding seems to be to stimulate all the vital functions, and among them the breeding function, to greater activity. When it is remembered that the size of the litter is limited by the number of eggs produced by the sow, the importance of such a condition is magnified. It has also been observed that sows when gaining in flesh and thrift tend to come in heat promptly and to be more susceptible to im- pregnation when bred. To respond favorably to the treatment suggested above, the sows must be thin in condition at the beginning. Sows that are already as heavy as is consistent with vigor and activity should be stimulated, if possible, by supplying plenty of range and exercise with access to green feed. With show sows or those very high in condition, it is usually necessary to reduce in flesh before they will breed. This should be done without subjecting them to any sudden change in diet, by withdrawing the grain from their rations gradually, and by stimulating exercise by allowing them the freedom of a good pasture. To estab- lish regular breeding habits in a sow that has been highly fitted is as reliable a test of good feeding as is the ability to bring her up to the bloom of show condition. Rations. No single ration is best for bringing about the con- dition of breeding thrift sought at this time. Conditions 12 Pork Production as regards feed supply vary from year to year and from place to place, while variations in the maturity and con- dition of the sows require modifications in the rations. The best treatment of the sows by the feeder must be determined for each particular farm and region, and should take account especially of the age and flesh of the sows, and the feeds which are available and cheapest. If there is considerable variation in the herd in regard to age and condition of the sows, they should be graded. If only those sows of the same maturity and general condition are together at feeding time, the rations can be measured more accurately to their needs. The average farm can well afford the facilities which will make prac- ticable the separation of the gilts which are intended for breeding from the mature sows. Thin mature sows should be fed so that they will be gaining a week or more before the opening of the breeding season. A most practical and satisfactory combination for the corn-belt is corn and a run of some green feed of a leguminous nature. Corn and alfalfa, or clover, or soybean, or cowpea forage make an ideal diet. Where these crops are not available, as in the North when breed- ing in November and December, fall-sown rye, blue- grass, or the ordinary tame pastures, will be valuable. Free access to a legume hay fed in racks will help to make up for the loss of green feed when the latitude and season make these unavailable. In those sections which regu- larly grow roots there is available a succulence which is much relished and of value in bringing about the condition of breeding thrift desired. With non-leguminous green feeds, a small amount of some protein feed should be given along with the corn, the proportion of which should be determined in each case by the quality of the pasture. Feeding and Handling the Herd 13 Approximately one part of tankage or meat-meal, or two parts of linseed oil meal, or five to six parts of wheat shorts or middlings, to twelve parts of shelled corn will make a balanced ration. Outside of the corn-belt, the available grains should take the place of corn, and be fed, when supplemented with a purchased protein feed, in practically the same proportions. When it is necessary to feed grain to sows that are already in strong condition, or when reducing show sows, the above suggestions as to kind of rations are appropriate. With good forage crops or pasture or roots available, however, little grain will be necessary. The rations most suitable for the gilts should contain more protein than those for mature sows, because a large proportion of their food is used for growth. About one-half more shorts, tankage, or other protein feed should be given than in the proportions recommended above for older sows. Amount to feed. The best and most practical guide in determining how much to feed the sows at this time is the condition of flesh they are in. It is probably true that the amount fed must be subjected to more variation than the character of the ration or the combination of feeds. The necessity for grading is largely due to the ill effects of feeding the fat sow as liberally as the thin one. A mature sow in breeding condition can be maintained without loss of weight, as a rule, by a little less than li pounds of average grain daily for each 100 pounds weight. Also, a mature sow will nearly maintain her weight on good blue-grass, and will make some gain when on a suitable forage crop, if medium to thin in condition. These facts are useful in estimating the quantity of grain to feed in the begin- 14 Pork Production ning, or the necessity of feeding any grain at all. After- wards, close observation of the gains and condition of the sows should be relied on to indicate whether too much or too little is being fed. Thin mature sows should receive, on the average, from one-half to twTo-thirds a full grain ration. This will be sufficient, especially with green feed, to insure the gain desired. A full ration, or all they will eat, should not be given because of the probability of their becoming too fat and the necessity of a sudden reduction in the ration later, which is always to be avoided. Sows already in fair condition of flesh should receive little or no grain, depending largely on the kind of green feed available. Gilts intended for breeding should be fed liberally. A little less grain than they will eat is generally desirable so as to encourage exercise and the use of green feed, and to avoid too high condition. They should be kept thrifty and growing. FEEDING THE BOAR The boar has large and responsible duties to perform in the breeding season. His breeding condition is as important as that of the entire female herd considered collectively. To be dependable, he must be a ready server and a sure breeder. Vigorous health, activity, and a medium condition of flesh usually reflect virility and breeding capacity. Such a state is influenced largely by the amount and kind of feeds which he has to eat. Demands. The boar should be given a ration in keeping with his needs. During this time a mature boar requires more nitrogenous material, or protein, and more mineral Feeding and Handling the Herd 15 matter than are necessary when not in breeding service. The demands on his energies, in addition to the require- ments of maintenance, are largely of a nitrogenous nature, and this loss, which is considerable with each service, must be made good if his breeding powers are preserved. Two weeks before the breeding season opens, the mature boar should be in rather thin condition and active. He should then be brought up to the breeding season in an improving condition, without allowing him to become fat, or to impair his activity. Young boars require a grow- ing ration, and when used for breeding the effort should be to satisfy both demands by a ration that is not deficient in mineral matter and protein. Rations. Probably the worst ration that can be fed is straight corn in the dry lot. If an unlimited supply of this cereal is available and exercise is limited, the evil effects will be still more certain. Experience has shown that sure and reliable breeding qualities cannot be maintained when corn constitutes the sole feed in the ration. Access to a green feed of some kind will enable the boar to acquire much that corn lacks and will promote a fairly loose con- dition of the bowels which is essential to good health. However, when used heavily, the boar should not be expected to receive a very large part of his nourishment from this source. Too much green feed, in fact, is con- sidered by some to be detrimental to his breeding qualities. Some one or more of the supplemental feeds suggested for the sows at this time should be fed with the corn or other home-grown grains. The boar should have about the same combination of feeds as the growing gilts intended for the breeding herd. 16 Pork Production If the service is heavy, he should have a wider variety and a smaller proportion of corn. Corn alone is so bad that many breeders recommend that it be entirely ex- cluded from the ration of the boar when in service. A variety of home-grown grains, with a little green feed, skim-milk or roots, with some shorts or tankage, or some such protein supplement added, will give the best results in breeding service. The immature boar should receive approximately the same combination of feeds that is best for the mature hog when performing heavy service. Amount to feed. The amount of grain that should be fed to the boar will depend : first, on the intensity of his breeding service ; second, on his age and condition; and third, on the amount of nourishment obtained from such feeds as forage crops, grass, or roots. A mature boar in good condition at the beginning of the breeding season will ordinarily lose weight when used to the normal limit of his breeding capacity. If heavily used he will require practically a full ration. In all cases, however, the guide should be to determine the amount given by his condition rather than his appetite, the effort being to maintain his weight. If just right at the beginning of the breeding season, this method will insure the maximum of breeding service. The immature boar should be fed so that he will experience no material check in his growth and de- velopment. A full ration, or all that he will clean up, should ordinarily be given him. Exercise. To develop and maintain a vigorous condition of breed- ing thrift in the boars and sows, exercise is as important Feeding and Handling the Herd 17 as good feeding. Without exercise the foundation of good health is impossible. The most practical and de- sirable method of supplying exercise is to give plenty of range. Ordinarily, if the boar and sows are in the best flesh for breeding purposes, they will take all the exercise needed if given the opportunity. In the case of the boar particularly, it too often happens that his range is limited to a narrow pen where insanitary conditions and lack of exercise combine in reducing his health and vigor. Ex- ercise is sufficiently important for the breeding boar to warrant the time and attention necessary to take him out and drive him a half-hour twice in the day, if it cannot be given by some other method. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS The period of sexual excitement known as "heat" should be understood. The significance of heat is that the sow is secreting, or preparing to secrete, the ripened eggs or ova. The appearance of heat is supposed to precede by a day or two the production of these eggs or germ-cells which, on fertilization by their union with the male germ-cells, produce the embryo pigs.1 The heat period lasts about three days, and is the only time during which a normal sow will accept service from the boar. A sow comes in heat every twenty or twenty-one days, on the average, during the breeding season, if not bred. The exceptions to this are sows which lack breeding con- dition or thrift and those which are nursing pigs. It frequently happens, however, that a sow will come in heat a few days after farrowing, usually the third day, 1 MacKenzie and Marshall: "Journal of Agricultural Science," 1912. c 18 Pork Production and again before the litter is weaned. The natural breed- ing seasons seem to be the early summer or late fall, although a vigorous sow when gaining will come in heat at other times, even in the hottest summer months. Researches by L. L. Lewis of the Oklahoma Experiment Station on the vitality of germ-cells indicate that the ripened eggs or ova are not discharged from the ovaries until the latter end of the heat period.1 These studies also revealed that the sperm-cells of the boar do not, as a rule, retain their vitality in the body of the sow for a longer period than sixteen hours after service. These observations would seem to support the theory that successful impregnation is most certain when the sow is bred in the latter stages of the heat period. So far, general observations in practice, however, have shown no advantage for early or late breeding so far as either may affect complete fertilization or the size of the resulting litter. Length of gestation period. The time elapsing between breeding and farrowing is known as the gestation period. During this time each of the fertilized eggs develops into an embryo pig, and with the completion of the pigs' embryonic development, birth takes place. Normally, the gestation period is just long enough to make possible full embryonic development of the pigs and to accommodate those physiological adjust- ments in the sow which are preliminary to parturition or farrowing. Gestation tables which have been worked out for the convenience of breeders are calculated on the basis of 112 days, or 16 weeks, as the time elapsing between breed- 1 L. L. Lewis : Bull. 96, Okla. Exp. Sta. Feeding and Handling the Herd 19 ing and farrowing. Recent accumulations of data, however, indicate that the average time is more nearly 114 days than it is 112. Breeding and farrowing records of 488 litters in the Illinois University herd l showed 114f days to be the average time which the sows carried their pigs, the longest observed being 124 days and the shortest 98 days. A study of these records did not reveal any tendency for mature sows to carry their pigs longer than did gilts. The average length of seventy- seven gestation periods in the Purdue University farm herd was 113i days. In this herd, sows with their first litter went, on the average, 113.2 days; those with their second litters, 113.4 days ; those with their third, 114.5 days ; and with the fourth, 113.6 days. It is the common opinion among breeders that gilts and old sows lacking thrift farrow a few days earlier than the average, while mature vigorous sows tend to carry their pigs a few days longer. Age to breed the gilt. A gilt should take her place in the breeding herd as soon as her growth has reached the stage where the demands of maternity will not materially affect her own development or her future usefulness in the breeding herd. Just where this stage is in the life of the gilt is a question of development rather than of age. The gilt that is well grown is more reliable as a future mother when bred at seven months of age than the gilt of ten months whose development has been retarded by in- sufficient nourishment. Experience has established the important fact that reasonably early breeding tends to establish reliable breeding habits, while late breeding frequently results 1 W. J. Carmichael : Master's thesis, Univ. 111., 1916. 20 Pork Production in the reverse. Furthermore, early breeding, other things being equal, reduces the cost of the pigs at birth. The earlier the gilt can be made a producer, the larger will be the saving in feed, interest, and risk. On the other hand, the practice of depending on undeveloped gilts for the production of the entire pig crop, as is frequently done, cannot be condemned too strongly. The immediate loss is expressed in small litters and imperfect nourish- ment of the pigs. Gilts intended for showing usually are not bred until after they are twelve months old. Show- ing practice necessitates the postponement of breeding even though the future value of the gilt as a producer may be, and often is, sacrificed. As a general rule, the gilt that is well developed may be bred safely to farrow when from twelve to fourteen months of age. When an active gilt has reached the weight of 200 pounds, she may be bred without danger of sacrificing full development at maturity, provided she is properly fed afterwards. Using the young boar. Most of the statements made above in regard to the proper breeding age of a gilt apply with equal emphasis to the young boar. To be fit for even limited service in November or December, the boar pig must have been farrowed early, in February or March, he must be well grown for his age, and he should possess a good constitution and natural vigor. With all of these, he must be used judiciously. Experience shows that if the boar pig is used to excess, the probabilities are that his breeding powers will be permanently injured and the pigs produced will have a tendency to weakness and small size. Ordi- narily, the boar should not be allowed to make more Feeding and Handling the Herd 21 than two or three services in a single week during the breeding season. As a rule and under average conditions, it is unwise to use the pig before he is a year old. The careful conservation of his breeding powers until he is fairly well developed will insure larger size at maturity and an extension of breeding vigor in later life. Experi- ence has shown the practice of depending entirely on pigs for sires to be disastrous. Early or late pigs. The question of the best time for the sows to farrow must be determined for each farm according to its location, the facilities which it affords in the way of quarters for handling early pigs, and in accordance with the purposes of the farmer and his plan of management. Through- out the corn-belt, and farther north, February or March farrowing necessitates warm barns or houses and special attention to all the details of care and handling. When the pigs are not finished for market until the follow- ing spring or summer, as is still the practice on some farms, the very early pigs have no advantage over the late ones. The advantages urged for early pigs are: first, that they have the size which enables them to make a larger and more satisfactory use of forage crops during the summer, — they can make a larger proportion of their growth from green feeds and hence reduce the amount of grain required in their growth, while the expensive finishing period is shortened; the second advantage, and perhaps the most important one, is that the early pigs find the early market, and this is ordinarily the best market. As a rule, average pigs throughout the corn- belt are marketed in December or January, and, as a rule, 22 Pork Production prices are lowest during these months. Furthermore, during September the supply is generally the lowest of the year and the prices highest. Although there are exceptions to these average conditions, the prices for hogs usually fall from September on until the middle of the winter. From year to year, the producer of early pigs will be in a position to profit by a better market. (See Chapter XVI.) A third advantage often urged for the early pigs is that they seem to do better, grow faster, be more healthy and better able to stand the extreme heat of early summer. Experience generally supports these claims. On the other hand, it must be remembered that finish- ing pigs for the September or October market in the corn- belt necessitates the use of old corn which must be carried over, or, if bought, purchased at a relatively high price. Also, the practice of hogging-down corn which is growing in favor could not be followed to the same extent as with pigs that do not go to market until later. Pigs intended for following cattle during the winter should come early and be well grown and active. Late pigs are usually too small to be satisfactory for this purpose. The breeder of pedigreed hogs ordinarily finds it to his advantage to breed early pigs. In addition to the gratifi- cation and advertising value of having pigs which are large for the season, they can be disposed of as prospective breeders more promptly and satisfactorily. The buyer generally favors early purchases, and is particular about size and growthiness. The early pig will commonly sell before November first, while the late pig will often remain to be an expense to the farm and a drag on the market the next season. Pigs intended for show should come as soon after the first of March or the first of September as Feeding and Handling the Herd 23 possible, since these dates determine in most classifications whether the pig shall show in the junior or senior class. MATING Two general systems are followed in the handling of sows at mating time. The first is to bring each sow as she comes in heat to the boar for service hand-coupling; the second, that of allowing the boar to run with the sows. Systems. The best system to follow will be determined by the conditions. The farmer who has only eight to ten sows to breed finds the practice of turning the boar out with the sows to be satisfactory, as a rule. The chief advan- tages of this system are that it does not require the in- dividual attention and time of a man when each sow is bred; and secondly, the boar is under conditions which permit him to take plenty of exercise. It is sometimes urged, also, that the chances of missing a sow when she comes in heat and not getting her bred are reduced to a minimum in this system. When the number of sows to be bred is well within the number which the boar is capable of breeding in a given season, and when it is not considered essential to know the exact date when each sow is bred, there is little in the practice to condemn. When the number of sows in the herd is larger than can be taken care of safely by one boar, it is doubtful whether this is the best system, unless there is a surplus of boars of equal merit available. Too often the tendency is to expect the boar to get as many sows in pig under this system as could be done with safety when the services are regulated by hand-coupling. The results are that 24 Pork Production the sows are not settled promptly and the energies of the boar are unnecessarily sapped. When running with the sows, the boar should not be expected to breed many more than one-half the number which under the other system he would be able to take care of. Even when records are not a necessity, it is commonly better to arrange to turn the sows in to the boar. In this way the number of services of the boar can be controlled and his energies conserved. The result is that a maximum number of sows can be gotten in pig in a given time. With convenient arrangement of the lots and the practice of breeding the sows at feeding time, or just before, very little extra time will be required. In pure-bred herds where an accurate record of the breeding of each pig is necessary, any other system than that of bringing the sows to the boar is practically out of the question. In pedigreed herds, the number to be bred is frequently large, also, and several boars are usually in service at the same time, and it is desirable that each sow be bred to a particular boar. The importance of getting each sow successfully bred the first time she comes in heat and the desirability of maintaining the vigor of the boar at a high pitch, are so great as to warrant the time and attention required to breed the sows individually, under most conditions. With the opening of the breeding season, the sows should be watched closely for evidences of heat. While, as a rule, a sow in heat is sufficiently demonstrative in her behavior to make detection easy, yet in every herd there are ordinarily a few sows which show few of the usual symptoms. The practice of having the boar and sows in adjacent fields facilitates observation. When in heat, the sow will be found along the fence next the boar and Feeding and Handling the Herd 25 away from the remainder of the herd. From the stand- point of the boar's welfare, however, this arrangement, although productive of exercise, is usually too disquieting to be without serious criticism. This is especially true if the demands on the boar are heavy. The boar should ordinarily be away from all such exciting influences. The practice of having a " teaser," or a boar to which only a few sows are to be bred, in the lot or pasture next the sows is a good solution of the problem. Time in the day to breed the sows. A convenient time during the day to breed the sows is, as a rule, just before feeding. The boar at this time, also, will be in the best condition to make a prompt and satis- factory service. When full of feed the boar is naturally sluggish, and his inclination to lie down after eating should be encouraged rather than disturbed. In no case should the boar be used for a period of two hours after feeding. When two sows are in heat at the same time and it is necessary to breed them to the same boar, the plan of breeding one in the morning and the other in the evening will insure the best results and have a minimum effect on the vitality of the boar. After being bred, the sow should be put into a pen by herself where she should remain until after going out of heat. It is believed that she will be more certain to conceive if her activity is somewhat restricted and she is kept quiet and away from other sows. The breeding-crate. The breeding-crate is practically a necessity when mature heavy boars are to be bred to gilts, or when it is desired to breed the boar pig to rather rangy sows. Even 26 Pork Production when the boar and sows are the same general size and type, many breeders prefer using it. They claim that a satis- factory service is much more certain with the crate than without it and that it is much less wearing on the boar, which is undoubtedly true. The boar, however, has to be taught to use the crate, and with some individuals considerable patience is necessary before this is accom- plished. Boars that have formed the habit of breeding under natural conditions are especially slow about learning to use it, while some refuse altogether. Farmers, as a rule, do not favor the use of the breeding-crate, largely because of the time and individual attention required by such a method, and also because they have had no experience in using it. Some believe that the sow is more liable to miss conception when bred under such artificial conditions. If she is thoroughly in heat it is difficult to see, however, how this could have anything to do with the successful union of the sperms with the eggs, which probably occurs some time in the next forty-eight hours. Number of sows which the boar can breed. Under given conditions, the number of sows which the boar can breed safely will depend mainly on the following factors : age, natural vigor or fertility, the length of the breeding season, and the distribution of the services. With a careful distribution of the services, a mature vigorous hog may be expected to take care of thirty sows, under good conditions. For a herd of that size, however, it would be wise to provide a second hog to be employed in emergencies. As a rule, one service a day may be permitted, and occasionally two when following a day or two of idleness. The yearling boar ordinarily should breed from fifteen to twenty sows in a season of six weeks Feeding and Handling the Herd 27 or two months. It is safer, however, not to force him to the limit of his powers. As already stated, it is usually better not to use the pig until he is a year old. If well developed, however, he may be allowed two or three services a week when eight months of age. If used to excess when young, the effect is seriously to retard develop- ment and to injure the future breeding powers. Some boars are naturally more vigorous than others and can settle twice the number of sows in a breeding season. Boars from prolific mothers are believed to be more fertile than those selected from sows which do not produce large litters. The way the boar has been fed, the amount of exercise he has had during the season when he was not in service, the sanitary conditions under which he has been kept, have a great influence on his performance during the breeding season. For these reasons, good judgment is the only reliable guide in determining the extent to which the boar can be used with safety. A careful distribution of the services is important. Nothing is gained by allowing the boar two services when the sow is bred. If the first service is a good one, millions of male germ-cells, called sperms, will be present to fertilize the female germ-cells, or eggs, of the sow. Since one sperm only is required to fertilize each egg, it is obvious that the practice of giving the sow a double service is not only unnecessary, but a waste of the energies of the boar. An important fact to remember at this point is that the successful union of the male and female germ- cells depends to a large extent on the vigor and activity of the male cells. It is usually necessary for these male germ-cells to travel a considerable distance in the uterus and Fallopian tubes of the sow before reaching the female 28 Pork Production germ-cells or eggs. This they are able to do by the movement of a tail-like appendage. If the boar is not vigorous, as the result of over-use, or is too fat or in a run-down condition, experiments indicate that the sperms which he produces will themselves lack in vigor and activity. The thing to seek, therefore, is vigorous lively germs, and these can be produced only by a vigorous boar whose services have been regulated carefully. (See page 122.) Records. The breeder of market hogs does not, as a rule, make a record of the date each sow is bred. When the sows are bred early, however, and the farrowing season is in February or March, a knowledge of the time each sow is due will make possible that preparation and individual attention at farrowing time which are necessary to save the pigs in cold weather. Without a knowledge of the date of service, it will be necessary to depend on careful observation and judgment to indicate when the sows are due. Even with the most careful supervision, the ex- perienced hog raiser makes many bad guesses, and as a consequence a number of the sows farrow with the general herd and under conditions not favorable to the survival of the pigs. Such experiences suggest that it might be practical for the producer of market hogs, especially when early pigs are attempted, to have his sows tagged and a record made of the time of breeding. In any case, a definite record should be made of the first and last services. With pure-bred herds, breeding records are a practical necessity. When more than one boar is in service, as is commonly the case, the record must be depended on in Feeding and Handling the Herd 29 writing the pedigrees of the pigs later, as well as to indicate when each sow is due to farrow. Before the breeding season begins, the boar to which each sow is to be bred should be determined so far as possible. Each sow must wear an ear-tag bearing her number, a breeding sheet should be made out containing the name or number of each sow, the name of the boar which it is proposed to breed her to, with spaces for recording the date of service. The knowledge of the sire and dam of each sow is im- portant, also, to guard against the possible use of a too closely related sire. If this sheet is posted in some convenient place in the hog-barn, the entries can be made promptly. With the close of the breeding season, the date of service and the name of the boar bred to should be transferred to the permanent record. The following record form embodying these features has proved practical and convenient to use : BREEDING RECORD — FALL 1915 NAME OR NUMBER op Sow SIRE AND DAM BOAR BRED TO AND DATE OP IST SERVICE BOAR BRED TO AND DATE OP 2o SERVICE REMARKS 30 Pork Production •NVf . •oaa CO T}H iO CD l> CO O5 'NVf •idag 'AON £83£ •ony •loo CO •oay i— i w -oay amp a> (M •oaa •AON Feeding and Handling the Herd 31 COrJOOOSO'-<OcOt--COOSOr-i to CO l> 00 OS O OOOSO'— !GOOSO'— i COrti'OcOt^-GCOO'— (GOOSO'— i i--GOOSO'— I i-Hi— Ii-Hi— li— (i— (i— li— li— IrHC^lM T-l.-I^HrHr-lr-li-HfNC^lMfMfNC^lMfMC^C^CO --HlMCO-^'OCOt^OOOSO'-H ^H^^t^Hr-lrH^H^H^HOJfM CO^f'OcDI>-OOOiO'-HCOOO5O rJliOCDt>GOOSO'-i(MCO'GOOSO'-iOOOSO'-H(NCOTtH»OcOl>.OOOsOr-i T-HT-Hr-(^-lr-(T-lrHC^(MC^(MOOOS (M (N COOOSO'— '(MCOTtl ^-(^HrH^HrHi-lrH^-l^-I^HOqC^lMC^C^ CO^iOcOl>OOOSO'— iC^COrfiOOl>-OOO5Or-i 32 Pork Production The preceding table has been calculated on the basis of 113 days for the gestation period. To use the table, the date of service is found in the left of the double column, and the date on the right will be the time due. For example, if a sow is bred on November eighteenth, the date to the right shows that she will be due to farrow March eleventh; if bred May twelfth, she will be due September second, and so on. CHAPTER III THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF THE BREEDING HERD IN THE WINTER IT is during the winter, in most of the pork-producing sections, that the problems of housing and management, sanitation, exercise, and feeding, become of more than usual importance. With cold weather, frozen ground, and dry feeds, the breeding herd is under conditions which make it more difficult to maintain good health. The problems involved in the successful management of the herd during the winter directly affect the results in economy of maintenance and in the number and quality of the pigs produced. GENERAL MANAGEMENT An item of first importance in the winter management of the breeding herd is its proper grading. Only those indi- viduals whose requirements for feed and general care are the same should be together. The effects, for example, of allowing the pregnant sows to run with the fattening shotes is to jeopardize greatly the chances of a good pig crop in the spring. Hogs that are being fattened for market do well in restricted quarters, and with full fatten- ing rations. It is impossible for the pregnant sows under these conditions to produce healthy, vigorous pigs or to nurse them properly after birth. The sows demand a D 33 34 Pork Production special ration and plenty of exercise. Open and bred gilts should likewise be separated from the mature sows, for they require a more liberal ration and one containing more bone and muscle-building ingredients especially during the first half of the winter. With advanced preg- nancy, the gilts which are bred should be separated from the open gilts when the facilities make this possible. The practice of allowing the pregnant sows to run with the cattle is objectionable if separate sleeping quarters are not provided and their consumption of corn is not carefully guarded. Horses and hogs do not get along well together, and when the hogs are compelled to seek the same shed for shelter the chances of injury are greater than one can afford to take. Although the number of divisions necessary in the proper grading of the herd may present some difficulties on the general farm where other usual classes of stock must be provided for, experience has demonstrated that it is a matter of prime importance. The mature boars should, of course, occupy inde- pendent quarters from the boar pigs. The boar is often allowed to run with the bred sows, which is not objec- tionable so long as he behaves himself. It will facilitate his care and generally improve his opportunity for needed exercise. Old boars may in most cases be turned to- gether after removing their tusks, but their initial en- counters should be supervised closely to prevent any serious injury to either. After supremacy has been de- cided, they will be contented and will do better together than if kept separate. Housing. The hog is more or less sensitive to the extremes of heat and cold. In the northern latitudes, warm houses Management and Feeding in Winter 35 are necessary during the winter in order to maintain thrift and save feed. All the classes of hogs must have com- fortable quarters in order to do well. This is a principle in live-stock management which no farm can afford to ignore. The financial loss which results from undue exposure and chill is more than would be sufficient to pro- vide suitable structures. The hog-house must be warm without being close, and the beds must be clean and dry and free from much dust. The question as to the best type of house must be determined by the conditions. From the standpoint of the hog, any house which is rain and wind-proof, adequately ventilated without being drafty, and which has a dry floor, is satisfactory if kept clean. Provision should be made for admitting to the interior as much direct sunlight as possible, for light is one of the most potent means of destroying disease germs and helps to maintain dryness. Such a house need not be elaborate nor expensive. In order to make the proper grading of the herd possible, the use of several houses is desirable under most conditions. If these are portable, they may be so placed in the pasture or lots as to encourage exercise, an added advantage for this type of shelter. Sows which are heavy in pig should not be allowed to sleep together in large numbers, for they may be injured by crowding and the tendency to pile up badly in the coldest weather. High door-sills are dangerous for preg- nant sows, frequently causing sprains and lameness, and occasionally abortion. The fall pigs should have the warmest quarters available. A low shed partly open on the south and connected with a cement feeding floor makes a satisfactory and practical arrangement for the fattening shotes. 36 Pork Production Sanitation. One of the conditions of good health is sanitary sur- roundings. In the winter management of the breeding herd, the sleeping quarters should be the chief concern in the effort to maintain healthful conditions. No hog can thrive if his bed is damp or dusty. Rheumatism, bad colds, coughs, and pneumonia are the ailments most commonly the result of overcrowded dusty sleeping quarters. Such conditions not only cause irritation to the nasal and bronchial passages and induce colds and rheumatism, but the dust particles may carry the germs of disease like cholera and tuberculosis. There should be enough air to prevent steaming and the quarters should be cleaned with sufficient frequency to keep them clean and free from dust. The frequency with which the bedding should be changed and the quarters cleaned depends chiefly on the weather and the character of the floors. When the weather is cold and things are frozen up tight, it is much easier to keep the quarters dry and sanitary than when the weather is warm and the ground soft. Likewise, well-constructed buildings with tight floors require much less work to keep clean than do poorly constructed houses with leaky roofs and dirt floors. As a rule, the houses should be cleaned thoroughly once a week. When the bedding has been removed, it is a good plan to lay the dust by sprinkling with crude oil. An occasional spraying with a strong disinfectant is desirable, also, to keep the quarters from harboring lice and disease germs. When the weather is cold, bedding should be supplied in liberal quantities ; when very warm, the less bedding the better if the dust is kept down and the floors are dry. Management and Feeding in Winter 37 Water. The water supply should be clean and fresh and easily accessible. Pregnant sows and young pigs especially require considerable water to satisfy their needs. When the water is ice-cold, the tendency is for hogs to drink less than they need. Furthermore, that which is drunk must be raised to the temperature of the body, which necessitates the sacrifice of considerable food energy when the weather is cold. When the water is given with the feed, it will pay to heat it. Ordinarily, the effort should be made to get them to take as much water as they will. Patented watering devices should be cleaned fre- quently, for they sometimes become contaminated and may prove a constant source of infection. The water in such devices should be kept as warm as possible by banking manure about them or by the use of heaters. Exercise. The amount of exercise which the pregnant sows receive during the winter bears an intimate relationship to the strength and activity of the pigs which they produce in the spring, to the ease of pigging, and the promptness of their recovery, and to their general thrift and health during the gestation period. The reliability of the boar during the breeding season is conditioned on his oppor- tunity for taking exercise throughout the seasons when he is not in breeding service. Neglect of this during the winter is often responsible for disappointing results in the breeding season. The young gilts and boars must have exercise if they are to attain the healthy development re- quired for successful lives in the breeding herd. The ex- periences of hog-men are so unanimous on these points that 38 Pork Production no experimental proof is necessary to establish them as important facts. Weak pigs may be caused by several factors, but that limited exercise is one of them cannot be doubted. When the winter is severe and the snowfall heavy, the spring pig crop is generally short. Under these conditions the sows stay close to their beds and take little or no exercise, with the result that the mortality among the pigs at birth is abnormally high and trouble is more frequently experienced with the sows in giving birth to their pigs. Exercise promotes a loose open condition of the bowels and does much to maintain a healthful functioning of the other organs of elimination. Exercise contributes strength and vitality, reduces the chances of disease, costs nothing, and is an indispensable factor in the main- tenance of health and breeding thrift. As a rule, the breeding hogs will take sufficient exercise if given the opportunity. With plenty of range, access to pastures, stubble land, or stock fields, the sows and gilts will be out most of the time if their rations are prop- erly restricted. When their range is limited because of deep snow or ice or for other reasons, the practice of scattering on the ground some grain, sheaf oats, barley, or legume hay for them to work over will encourage exercise by keeping them out and on their feet. By having the sleeping quarters placed at the far end of the pastures or lots, they will be compelled to exercise at feeding time. Although exercise is imperative, sows heavy in pig should not be compelled to push their way through snowdrifts in order to get to their feed or sleep- ing quarters. Icy places should be made safe by covering with straw, ashes, or litter of some kind. Management and Feeding in Winter 39 FEEDING PREGNANT SOWS AND GILTS Two principal objects should be sought in the winter feeding of sows due to farrow in the spring: first, com- plete nourishment for the sows and their developing pigs in embryo ; and second, economy. On the completeness of nourishment depend in large part the general vigor and strength of the sows at farrow- ing time, the development and strength of the pigs at birth, and the capacity of the sows for milk secretion after the pigs are born. Good feeding also requires that the rations shall be cheap as well as balanced. The cost of feeding sows during the pregnancy period repre- sents an important item in the cost of the individual pigs at birth, and the initial cost of the pigs is an impor- tant factor in determining the cost of pork production. Demands. Before discussing specific feeds and rations, it will be profitable to consider the physiological requirements of the sows during this period. Mature sows, those past two years of age, require food for two purposes : to maintain and provide for the upkeep of their own bodies ; and second, to supply the material for growing the embryo pigs. Successful feeding of the mature sows during the gestation period must provide the nourishment to satisfy these two fundamental needs. The amount of feed required to meet the demands for maintenance is constant. The requirements for the growth of the embryo pigs, on the other hand, increase more or less gradually with advancing pregnancy. Approx- imately 75 per cent of the growth of the foetal litter takes place in the last month of the gestation period. As preg- 40 Pork Production nancy advances, therefore, an increasing proportion of the rations is needed to nourish the developing pigs. The kind of food materials which will satisfy main- tenance is likewise different from that required to meet the needs of embryonic growth. The demands for maintenance are met by food materials which will supply the heat and energy to run the body machine and make good the repair of body waste. To meet the needs of the growing pigs in embryo there is demanded, in addition, material which will produce bone and muscle. The first is largely met by the carbohydrates of the ration, while the latter can only be derived from the supply of protein and mineral matter. A ration which will satisfy both these demands in proportion is, therefore, a balanced one. Young sows and gilts carrying their first litters must be fed with reference, also, to a third demand, for their own growth and development. The first need of the immature sow is food for maintenance, then for the growth of her pigs in embryo. If any food remains after these demands are satisfied, .it may be used for the in- creased growth of her own body. If the supply of feed is insufficient to supply all three requirements, the last is the one to suffer. The maternal instinct of the sow is so strong as to cause her to sacrifice, in the absence of suffi- cient nourishment, her own energy and body tissue that the foetal litter may have the substance for growth. Corn alone as a feed for pregnant sows. In the corn-belt the central question is to what extent it is safe or advisable to make use of corn in the ration of the pregnant sows. Outside the corn-belt, likewise, the question is to what extent the home-grown grains PLATE II. — Above, Pregnant sows should have range during the winter ; below, A practical method of feeding alfalfa hay. Management and Feeding in Winter 41 can be used. The answers to these questions should also suggest economical and satisfactory methods of supplementing these cereals with home-grown or pur- chased feeds. In the present state of our knowledge of hog-feeding problems, no fact is more clearly established than that corn alone for pregnant sows is not a good feed. This is especially true during the latter part of the gesta- tion period and for immature sows and gilts. The com- bined experience of practical feeders and the results of a few carefully planned studies at the experiment stations supply strong evidence on this point. The train of evils for which exclusive corn feeding is, in large part, held responsible is the following: a tendency for the pigs at birth to be weak and under-developed ; a larger propor- tion of dead pigs; a feverish irritable condition of the sow at farrowing time; more frequent trouble in giving birth to their pigs ; greater tendency of the sows to develop the pig-eating habit ; inability to secrete a normal supply of milk for their pigs after birth, all of which means a smaller number of pigs raised. A sow cannot grow a strong thrifty litter of pigs on a diet of straight corn. It does not possess enough of the materials which make blood, bone, and muscle. A pregnant sow so fed is certain to approach the farrowing season in an impoverished state of health, low in vitality, and in poor condition to bear the strain of pigging or the later demands of milk production. This, with the weak under-developed pigs, is the fundamental reason for the disastrous results just enumerated. The conclusions of practical experience regarding the effects of exclusive corn-feeding to bred sows are supported by recent experimental feeding trials. The results of 42 Pork Production studies made by John M. Evvard, of the Iowa Experi- ment Station, are extremely pointed and full of practi- cal instruction in this connection. Following is a tabu- lated statement of the results secured when corn alone was compared with corn plus different kinds of commercial supplements when fed during the pregnancy period to yearling sows : TABLE III. — STRAIGHT CORN VERSUS CORN AND A SUPPLE- MENT (Iowa Experiment Station). TEN YEARLING Sows IN EACH LOT 1 AVERAGE DAILY RATION FED EACH Sow 4.97 LB. CORN 4.11 LB. CORN .50 LB. MEAT- MEAL OR TANKAGE 4.06 LB. CORN 1.13LB. LlNSEED-OlL MEAL Average daily gain, each sow 59 Ib 78 Ib 67 Ib Average weight, each litter 1706 Ib 24 42 Ib 19 50 Ib Average number pigs farrowed Average birth weight, 9.2 1.85 Ib. 10.1 2.42 Ib. 8.8 222 Ib Vigor of pigs : Strong, per cent . . . Medium, per cent . Weak, per cent . . . Dead, per cent . . . Condition, or fatness of pigs: Prime to choice, per cent 41 35 20 4 26 85 5 5 5 37 76 15 5 4 48 Good to medium, per cent 62 56 47 Fair to inferior, per cent 12 7 5 Proc. American Society of Animal Production, 1913. Management and Feeding in Winter 43 All three lots of sows were kept under identical condi- tions as regards shelter, exercise, and the like. At the beginning of the experiment, the ten sows in each lot were as nearly like the sows of the other lots as it was possible to make them. Variations in the results, especially the weight, vigor, and condition of the pigs at birth, were chiefly due, therefore, to the rations fed. These results speak for themselves. The birth weight of the pigs from sows fed straight corn was nearly a half pound lighter than that of the pigs from sows getting in addition either meat-meal or linseed-oil meal. Chemical analyses have revealed the deficiencies of corn in bone- and muscle-building constituents, and the results of this experiment are a striking demonstration of the same fact. The starvation to which the embryo pigs in the corn-lot were subjected was expressed not only in their small size at birth, but also in the smaller proportion of strong pigs and their thin condition of flesh. These differences are especially significant since the size and value of a pig crop for any year are limited by the thrift and vigor of the pigs at birth. Although corn for pregnant sows is too fattening to be safe when fed alone, or economical in the end, this does not mean that it is not a desirable feed when properly supplemented. It is the abuse of corn in the hands of careless feeders, rather than its legitimate use, that has caused many hog-men to condemn it for breeding stock. Other grains for pregnant sows. Outside the corn-belt, larger use is made of such grains as oats, barley, emmer, and wheat, as the basis of the sow's rations during the winter. Although these grains possess a little more bone and muscle-building constitu- 44 Pork Production ents than corn, they are not satisfactory when fed alone to pregnant sows. Oats is, no doubt, the safest single grain that could be selected. The grain sorghums, kafir and milo, are very similar to corn in composition, but are not so palatable. Rye is not considered a good feed for pregnant sows unless ground and fed in limited quantities with other more bulky concentrates. Kafir, milo, and wheat should be ground, and usually more satisfactory results will be obtained if they are fed mixed with other and lighter feeds. Oats, barley, and ernmer also give better results when ground. Value of legume hays for pregnant sows. The legume hays, clover, alfalfa, cowpea, soybean, field pea, vetch, lespedeza, when of fine quality, offer one of the most valuable means of supplementing corn or other home-grown grains. Not only is hay of this class commonly available on every farm, but it supplies three important elements in the brood sow ration; viz., bulk, protein, and lime or mineral matter. Furthermore, these hays generally possess the desirable quality of being laxative in their effects. At the North Platte, Nebraska, sub-station, considerable data of value have been accumulated showing the value of alfalfa as a supplement to corn or other grains when fed in various ways to pregnant sows and gilts. In the following table is presented a brief statement of the results of feeding gilts one part of chopped alfalfa hay mixed with two to three parts of grain. As much of this mixture was fed as the gilts would clean up. When the gilts showed evidence of becoming too fat, the proportion of grain was reduced and the alfalfa increased. Management and Feeding in Winter 45 TABLE IV. — WINTERING BRED GILTS ON GRAIN AND ALFALFA l YEAR DATE 1909-'10 Nov. 9- MARCH15 1910-'ll Nov. 8- MARCH 14 ?911-'12 Nov. 14- MARCH 19 1912-'13 Nov. 4- APRIL 1 1913--14 Nov. 4- MARCH 25 AVERAGE 5 YEARS Corn, Wheat, Rations Fed Corn, Barley, Chopped Alfalfa Hay Barley, Rye, Wheat, Chopped Alfalfa Corn, Chopped Alfalfa Hay Corn, Chopped Alfalfa Hay Chopped Alfalfa Hay, Alfalfa Hay in Hay Rack Number gilts in lot .... 25 25 25 20 25 24 Number days in experiment 126 126 126 148 141 133 Pounds grain fed each gilt dur- ing the winter 519 501 513 694 650 575 Pounds alfalfa fed each gilt during the winter . 161 253 207 237 234 218 Pounds grain fed daily per 100 Ib. weight of gilt .... 1.90 1.52 1.75 1.90 1.90 1.79 Pounds grain fed daily per gilt . 4.12 3.98 4.07 4.69 4.61 4.29 Pounds alfalla fed daily per gilt .... 1.28 2.01 1.64 1.60 1.66 1.64 Average first weight of gilt . 156. 201. 188. 181. 166. 178. Average gain per gilt .... 121. 122. 88. 130. 153. 123. Cost 2 of feed for wintering the gilt .... $5.20 $6.04 $5.36 $7.02 $8.74 $6.47 1 W. P. Snyder. Bull. 147, Neb. Exp. Sta. 2 Corn, per bushel, $.47 ; wheat, per bushel, $.70 ; barley, per bushel, $.40 ; rye, per bushel, $.56 ; chopped alfalfa hay, $10 per ton ; alfalfa hay, $8 per ton. 46 Pork Production The system of feeding followed in these tests insured large gains and the gilts were in rather heavy flesh at farrowing time. The results were satisfactory both from the standpoint of economy and the number and quality of the pigs. Rather large litters of healthy pigs were produced and no trouble occurred at farrowing time. The figures showing the cost of wintering the gilts are high for these experiments because of the rather large rations fed. If the gilts had been credited with as much of the gain in weight as remained after they had farrowed and weaned their pigs, at the market price of pork, the cost would have been considerably reduced. On the other hand, the prices of the feeds should be increased to bring the results more nearly in harmony with present conditions. Methods of feeding alfalfa hay. The question of the best method of feeding alfalfa hay to bred sows in the winter was also studied by W. P. Snyder of the North Platte, Nebraska, sub-station. Table V gives a summary of four years' work with special reference to the cost of maintenance. Lot I was fed shelled corn in a trough or on clean ground and alfalfa in a rack. The sows in this lot were given all the hay they would eat. Lot II was fed ground corn mixed with an equal weight of chopped or cut alfalfa. This mixture was moistened with water at feeding time. Both lots had access to a small field of fall-sown rye. In each of the four years the cost of wintering the sows was lower in the lots fed the alfalfa in racks than when it was chopped and the sows compelled to eat as much hay as they were given grain. The average annual saving in the cost of keep was $1.63 for each sow. The effect on the Management and Feeding in Winter 47 resulting pig crops was not reported and it is assumed the results were satisfactory in both lots. TABLE V. — WINTERING YEARLING AND MATURE Sows CHOPPED ALFALFA VERSUS ALFALFA IN RACKS TIME AVERAGE 4 YEARS 1910-1914 Rations Fed I Shelled Corn, 2 Alfalfa Hay in Rack II Ground Corn, a Chopped Alfalfa, J Average number sows in each lot .... Average number days in experiment . Average number bushels grain fed each sow Average pounds alfalfa fed each sow . . . Average pounds grain fed daily each sow Average pounds alfalfa fed daily each sow Average pounds grain fed daily each 100 pounds weight sow 10 121 9.90 86. 4.43 .70 1.14 341 Ib. 93 Ib. $5.29 10 121 8.84 495. 3.99 4.05 1.04 337 Ib. 96 Ib. $6.92 Average beginning weight of each sow . . Average gain each sow . Average cost 3 of feed for each sow As the result of this study, the author of the experi- ment draws the following conclusion : " Feeding a very light grain ration and letting the sows eat alfalfa at will from a rack proved a better practice than mixing the grain and chopped alfalfa in equal proportions and thereby compelling the sows to eat a pound of alfalfa with each pound of grain." The important observation is also 1 Bull. 147, Neb. Exp. Sta. 2 In the 1913- 14 test, ground wheat was fed instead of shelled corn. 3 Prices of feeds, same as those given in Table IV. 48 Pork Production made that when hogs are fed alfalfa hay in a rack it is very important that it be of fine quality. In Table VI are given some unpublished results of further feeding tests conducted at the North Platte, Nebraska, sub-station by W. P. Snyder. It is an interest- ing comparison of pregnant sows fed straight alfalfa hay with no grain, sows fed a mixture of equal parts of corn silage and cut alfalfa hay with access to alfalfa in a rack, and sows fed approximately 1 per cent of their weight in corn daily with alfalfa fed in a rack. TABLE VI. — A COMPARISON OF RATIONS FOR PREGNANT Sows (mostly mature) DURING 70 DAYS IN WINTER, 1914-15, 1915-16. 1% EQUAL PARTS SHELLED No CORN, CHOPPED ALFALFA RATIONS FED CORN, ALFALFA ALFALFA HAY IN HAY AND CORN SILAGE, AND HAY IN RACK ALFALFA HAY IN RACK RACK Average feed eaten by each sow daily . . . 4.04 Ib. 4.91 Ib. 4.15 Ib. corn corn, alfalfa silage 2.18 Ib. 4.151b. chopped alfalfa alfalfa 2.22 Ib. alfalfa Average initial weight from rack of sows, Dec. 25 . . 345 Ib. 349 Ib. 362 Ib. Average gain or loss in 32 Ib. 21 Ib. 21 Ib. loss weight per sow, 70 da. gain loss Average birth weight of each litter .... 25.1 Ib. 21.4 Ib. 21.2 Ib. Average birth weight per pig 2.30 Ib. 2.23 Ib. 2.26 Ib. Average number of pigs raised per litter to 50 Ib 6.8 5.7 4.7 Management and Feeding in Winter 49 It would appear from these results that pregnant sows are unable to maintain themselves and provide for the nourishment of their embryo pigs on bulky feeds alone. This is also the conclusion of practical experience. In both lots where no grain was fed, the sows lost in the seventy days an average of twenty-one pounds, and the number of pigs raised to the litter was below that of the sows fed some corn. Regarding the ration contain- ing corn silage, the author of the experiment states that a considerable proportion of the feed in this lot was wasted. The sows picked out the corn in the silage, but ate very little of the fodder. Close observation of the sows during the progress of the experiment thoroughly convinced him that nothing was to be gained by feeding corn silage to pregnant sows. Additional testimony of the value of a legume hay to supplement home-grown grains for wintering pregnant sows is supplied by tests made by W. H. Peters at the North Dakota Experiment Station. One group of sows was fed a grain mixture of two parts crushed barley and one part of bran, by weight, fed as a thick mash with warm water. The second group was fed the same mixture, but had in addition free access to alfalfa hay fed in cheaply con- structed racks. The amount of the mash fed in each group was determined by the condition of the sows, the effort being made to secure the proper gains in both lots. In Circular No. 13 the author makes the following observations : "Close observation of the sows during the winter months and during the month of March, while they were farrowing, leads to the following conclusions: 1st. "It was possible to replace one-third of the grain ration for brood sows with alfalfa hay. 50 Pork Production 2nd. "It required 1.04 pounds of alfalfa hay to re- place 1 pound of grain. 3rd. "The feeding of alfalfa afforded an excellent means of getting the sows to take more exercise than they do when fed grain alone. 4th. "No trouble at all was experienced by any of the sows in farrowing. 5th. "The sows fed alfalfa hay farrowed just as large, strong, and uniform litters of pigs as did the sows not receiving it. 6th. "The sows fed alfalfa appeared to milk better and nurse their pigs a little better than did those not receiving hay. 7th. "The results obtained in this trial indicate that it is practical and advisable to feed as much alfalfa hay to brood sows in winter as they will eat, regulating the additional grain ration so as to keep the sows in the proper condition." Methods of balancing corn for pregnant gilts. In Table VII are reported results of further investi- gations by Evvard of the Iowa Experiment Station. In this experiment a study was made of the relation of the rations fed pregnant gilts during the winter to the weight, vigor, and condition of the pigs produced.1 The corn fed in each ration was ear corn with the ex- ception of the lot receiving cut clover, when it was shelled to facilitate mixing. The meat-meal fed was the best grade, containing 60 per cent protein and 14 per cent mineral matter. The quantity of corn fed was estimated on the shelled basis. The clover was of only fair quality, 1 Vols. VII and VIII, A. B. A. Management and Feeding in Winter 51 TABLE VII. — SUPPLEMENTS FOR CORN FOR WINTER FEEDING BRED GILTS (Iowa Experiment Station) FIVE GILTS IN EACH LOT 2 C b .0 ill! (M &5o6 CO CO o 00 VIGOR OF PIGS I 0 O 0 CO CO 10 CO 00 0 (N I 05 o o 3 iO CD 0 i! 05 "*! i 10 o O5 00 I I !^l| 0 s cb 05 O O5 CO 3 2 |§gsgg 00 1> 0 b- CO CD l> iO -i'-iT-H,-i Elsld s^fe^ III! £ S^ 11,» l-g 88 Pork Production in the larger litters. The average gains made by the individual pigs in the litters of different sizes were as follows: In the litters of ten, the pigs made an average gain during the seventy days of 35.4 pounds; in the litter of nine, the pigs gained an average of 39.1 pounds; in the litters of eight the average gain was 30 pounds ; in the litter of seven it was 35.5 pounds; and in the litters of five pigs it was 39.9 pounds a pig. These figures bear out the theory held by many practical hog- men that the individual pigs in large, but normal-sized, litters usually grow as fast as do the individual pigs pro- duced in small litters. Another interesting observation on this table is that the gaining capacity of the pigs increases quite regularly from week to week during this time, although the gain for each unit of body weight is much greater in the first weeks than the last. Castration. Castrating the pigs should not be postponed long after the pigs are weaned. In fact, if performed before weaning, when the pigs are about six weeks old, it will require less work and the shock to the system will be less noticeable. From the standpoint of the pig, the earlier he is castrated the better. Although this is not a dangerous nor a complicated operation, the observation of a few practical precautions will reduce the risk of possible complications. The pigs should have their morning feed withheld; one should avoid, so far as possible, getting the pigs warmed up and excited ; a dry clean place, close to where the pigs are to be inclosed should be provided for the work; the knife should be sharpened thoroughly, and a whetstone put Care and Feeding of Sow and Litter 89 into the pocket if the number of pigs to be operated on is large; a pan or half-bucket of strong disinfectant, as a 4 per cent solution of coal-tar dip, should be at hand in which the knife is placed between operations. In performing the operation, it is important that the incision be made low enough to provide ready drainage and to prevent the accumulation of pus at the base of the pouch, the cord should be broken off well back, or drawn out and scraped. Before releasing the pig, the wounds should be washed with the disinfectant; if in fly-time some pine-tar should be applied. After the operation, the pigs should be shut away from old wallows and much- used mud-holes, so as to prevent the entrance of filth germs into the wounds. The best place for the pigs is a clean pasture. For several days they should be examined occasionally and any swollen or infected ones properly looked after. CULLING OUT THE UNPRODUCTIVE SOWS The best time of year to make an accounting with the sows is after they have weaned their pigs. They have individually just finished a test of performance which offers the best and most practical basis for the selection of future breeding stock. Only those sows which have produced good-sized, even litters of pigs and suckled them well should be retained for another breeding sea- son. The prolific heavy-milking sow, though "thin as a rail" when her pigs are taken from her, is the foun- dation of every successful herd of hogs. Such a sow should hold her place in the breeding herd so long as there are no better ones, according to the same standard, to take her place. Mature sows which fail to raise litters 90 Pork Production of six good pigs should ordinarily be put into the fat- tening-pen. Although they may be smooth and good to look at, the herd from a pork-producing standpoint should be rid of them. Sows with defective teats, the cross sows with mean dispositions, the gilts which did not perform up to expectations, the pig-killers and poor milkers should go into the fattening-pen. No market- producing herd can be brought up and maintained at a high level of breeding performance without constant culling, and no herd of pedigreed stock can be made to succeed where "looks" and not performance is made the test in selection. HERD RECORDS In the management of a pedigreed herd, a systematic and detailed set of permanent records is imperative. The reliability of every printed pedigree rests not only on the integrity of the breeder, but also on the faithful- ness and care with which the records have been kept. It is desirable, therefore, that the system of record-keep- ing adopted possess the following features: it should provide for the statement of all essential facts, i.e., it should be complete ; it should be logically and systematic- ally arranged; it should be as simple as possible and adapted to the needs of the individual breeder; and it should be of a kind which will insure permanency. The records may be kept either in specially made book form or on suitably ruled cards which may be in- dexed. Each form has its advantages. The publishers of practically all breed papers now put out private herd record books which are furnished to the breeders at a nominal cost. These have done much to encourage the systematic keeping of records and to give confidence in Care and Feeding of Sow and Litter 91 the results of pedigree registrations generally. These books are inexpensive, convenient to use, and are en- tirely satisfactory. They are especially recommended for breeders who are poor bookkeepers. Two sample pages from one of the best of these private herd registers are given on pages 92 and 93 .1 In addition to the sow and litter divisions, a complete record system should also provide spaces for: (a) an extended pedigree of each boar and a list of the sows to which he has been bred during the year ; (6) a summa- rized record of the individual animals bought and sold ; and (c) an index. If such a system is supplemented by giving each sow in the herd which has produced two or more litters a page or card upon which may be recorded a summarized statement of the litters she has produced, the number of pigs farrowed and raised in each, the num- ber retained, and the number sold and total value, it will facilitate the study of the performance records and insure a more accurate estimate of the value of each sow in the herd. THE COST OF FEEDING THE SOW AND LITTER FROM FARROWING TO WEANING TIME The feed cost of growing the litter of pigs to weaning time represents a necessary and important part of the cost of producing finished pork. This cost will vary widely, of course, with general conditions, herds, and feeders. The effort is here made to estimate the approxi- mate cost for the average of good conditions. The calculations are based on the average feed consumption of twenty sows and litters, sixteen at the Wisconsin 1 The W. B. C. Herd Register, Moore Bros. Co., Rochester Ind. 92 Pork Production i 1 t. £ 5 a .13 « 1 a J CO 1 h * S | 1 | 0> 2 a S? CC 55 § < 5 D 3 .§ 1 0 a i •s 1 < 3 i 1 Q CC 0 0 1 PH 1 1 | 1 1 01 01 LJ l- h -i 1 1 CD CD 1 d 1 gl u r* d 55 1 1 1 5 d ^0 < Z Q 2 LJ o -2 I . £ 1- d •g U. 0 1 1 Ul 3 P5 Ul en 6 0 ~tH 0 |M 13 1 Ul Q. 1 II o> 1 c d Number | 0 1 "o 5 c3 Q .S m Ui ! -S Q + Marks of Pig: blowing Litte cc r ^ P ^^ 3 i| 1 "S S si 1 l2 1 5 .aj "cS ^3 j G I "S i £ P P 1 13 S o 1 0 2^ S^ Q Care and Feeding of Sow and Litter 93 LJ < h Q h a = 2 cc (0 cc u I- 1 I & M 6 • Q 1 1 P f 0) PH CO s, "ft O .2- a Q. M ^ o u on U. 0 1 B H QQ CO h § z 0 h g O 0 Q co 0 Q. 1 Q CO o S w 6 a S _ fe _C i 1 1 ! « 2 i 2 I S c 1 c i 6 53 55 94 Pork Production Station,1 four at the North Carolina Station,2 and four at Purdue University.3 The feeds in these tests are for convenience reduced to a common basis by the use of the Scandinavian Feed Unit System. The summarized rec- ords for these twenty sows and litters are shown in Table XIV. TABLE XIV. — RECORD OF AVERAGE FEED CONSUMPTION OP TWENTY Sows AND LITTERS FROM FARROWING TO WEANING TIME AVERAGE NUMBER DAYS FED AVERAGE NUMBER PIGS RAISED PER LITTER AVERAGE WEIGHT LITTERS AT WEAN- ING TIME AVERAGE WEIGHT Sows WHEN WEANING PIGS* AVERAGE Loss WEIGHT EACH SOW IN SUCKLING PERIOD AVERAGE NUMBER FEED UNITS DAILY PER SOW AND LITTER 76.6 74.5 Ib. 270 Ib. 318 Ib. 23.75 11.32 Charging corn at 56 cents a bushel, or $1.00 a hundred, shorts at $1.50 a hundred, tankage at $2.50 a hundred, and skim-milk at 30 cents a hundred, a very satisfactory combination c\f these feeds would cost approximately lj cents for each feed unit contained. When corn is 70 cents a bushel, and protein supplements about on a par in price with those just quoted, the cost of each feed unit would be a little less than 1| cents, and so on. In Table XV is given the cost of feeding the sow and litter on the basis of 1 cent, Ij cents, 1| cents, If cents, 2 cents and 2| cents for each feed unit. 1 W. J. Carlyle : Bull. 104. 2 Dan T. Gray : Circ. 25. 3 Braxton and Jones : Purdue Univ. Thesis, 1915. 4 Average weight of four sows estimated. Care and Feeding of Sow and Litter 95 TABLE XV. — SHOWING AVERAGE COST OF FEEDING Sow AND LITTER TO WEANING TIME PRICES OF FEEDS AVERAGE NUM- BER FEED UNITS FED DAILY AVERAGE DAILY COST FEED, Sow AND LITTER AVERAGE COST FEEDING Sow AND LITTER OF 7-8 PIGS, 70 DAYS 1 cent per feed unit .... 11.32 11.32 cents $7.92 11 cents per feed unit .... 11.32 14.15 " 9.90 \\ cents per feed unit .... 11.32 16.98 " 11.89 If cents per feed unit .... 11.32 19.81 " 13.87 2 cents per feed unit .... 11.32 22.64 " 15.85 2| cents per feed unit .... 11.32 28.30 " 19.81 With a careful selection of the feeds, it is believed that a good feeder should be able to feed the sow and litter for considerably less than here indicated. Especially should this be true when a part of the concentrated feeds are supplemented by good forage crops. Legume forage crops should cut down the cost approximately 5 per cent. No charge is here made for the normal loss of weight of the sows during this period, because no credit was taken for the gains made during the breeding and gestation periods. She should weigh about the same at this time as at the beginning of the breeding season, so that the feed account is balanced. The cost of feeding the gilt with her first litter during the nursing period is less than that for the mature sow. Consid- ering the smaller size and the fewer pigs to the litter in case of the gilt, a feed charge of 10 per cent less than the figures given for the mature sow should be approximately correct. CHAPTER V SIZE OF LITTERS; BIRTH WEIGHT OF PIGS; MILK-FLOW OF SOWS IN the following pages some figures are given showing the influence of certain factors on the size of litters, birth weight of pigs, and the milk-flow of sows. Since the usefulness and value of a sow are largely determined by her performance in these particulars, it is thought the statistics will be of interest and value. SIZE OF LITTERS The ability of the sow regularly to produce large litters is the most fundamental and valuable of those traits which determine her usefulness in the breeding herd. In view of this, it is of considerable importance to learn what factors are responsible for its wide variation and the extent to which these factors are under the control of the breeder or feeder. The following have each been re- garded by hog-men as important : age, feeding and condi- tion at breeding time, cross-breeding, the boar to which the sow is mated, type, breed, and individuality. Age of sow. It is a matter of observation that the number of pigs produced by a sow varies from year to year throughout her breeding life. Her age is usually considered the most 96 Size of Litters 97 important factor causing this variation. In Table XVI are presented the findings made by Rommel from a study of the farrowing records of 6145 sows recorded in volume 36 of the American Poland China Record. TABLE XVI. — SIZE OF LITTERS OP Sows OP DIFFERENT AGES AQE OP Sows NUMBER OP LITTERS AVERAGE NUMBER OP PIGS PER LITTER 1 year .... 2010 6.64 2047 7.56 3 1157 7.88 4 . . 606 8.26 5 " 325 8.40 These results show that the two-year old sows, recorded in volume 36, produced larger litters than did the year- lings, and the three-year old sows larger litters than the two-year olds. There was a regular increase in the size of litters as the age of the sows increased. It is believed that these averages are based on a sufficient number of litters to make them reliable and fairly indicative of the fertility of sows of different ages. These results should not, however, be interpreted to mean that the average sow necessarily produces an increasing number of pigs to the litter up to and including her fifth year. Ordinary herd selection would mean the elimination of the low pro- ducers at an early age and the retention of the more pro- lific. The older sows in the average herd are, therefore, selected individuals, while the younger ones contain many whose performance records will not entitle them later to permanent places in the breeding herd. With the purpose of securing information on how age 98 Pork Production affects the fertility of the individual sow, the breeding records of ten colleges and experiment station herds were studied.1 These records are of 1152 litters and 10,555 pigs. The tabulated data are shown in Table XVII. TABLE XVII. — NUMBER OF PIGS AT BIRTH IN SUCCESSIVE LITTERS OF INDIVIDUAL Sows NUMBER OF Sows NUMBER op LITTER AVERAGE NUMBER PIGS PER LITTER AVERAGE INCREASE IN PIGS PER LITTER 244 First litter 7.778 244 Second 8.922 + 1.144 243 Ci 8.991 243 Third 9.275 +0.284 176 " 9.630 176 Fourth 9.857 +0.227 113 (i 10.460 113 Fifth 10.221 -0.239 71 a 10.478 71 Sixth 10.521 +0.043 31 n 10.870 31 Seventh 9.709 -1.161 18 « 9.388 18 Eighth 10.111 +0.723 7 K 11.000 7 Ninth 9.428 - 1.572 5 " 9.200 5 Tenth 8.000 -1.200 As shown in the above table, 244 sows produced in their first litters an average of 7.778 pigs. These same 244 sows in their second litters produced an average of 8.922 pigs, or 1 444 in excess of their first litters. Of these 244 sows, 243 produced their third litters, the 1 South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Cornell, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Ohio, Purdue. Size of Litters 99 average size of which was 0.284 pig larger than their second litters. Of these 243 sows, 176 produced their fourth litters, the average for which was 0.227 pig larger than their third litters. In the same way, it is deter- mined that the fifth litters were 0.239 pig smaller than the fourth, while the sixth slightly exceeded the fifth litters. The seventh litters were very much smaller than the sixth, FIG. 8. — Showing variations in the number of pigs in successive litters. while of the 18 sows producing eight litters, the eight slightly exceeded the seventh. Only 7 of these sows produced their ninth litters, and only 5 their tenth, but with these litters, there was a decided decrease in their size. These results, expressed graphically in Fig. 8, will show more clearly the fluctuations which may be expected in the size of the successive litters of any individual sow. According to this curve, a sow may be expected to produce an increasing number of pigs up to and includ- 100 Pork Production ing her fourth litter. From the fourth litter on, she may be expected to produce a decreasing number with each succeeding litter. The number of sows with records here of seven, eight, nine, or ten litters is too small, how- ever, to make the averages for these litters reliable. The extreme fluctuations shown in the latter part of the curve would be made to disappear if a larger number of records of these litters was available. As a result of this limitation of numbers, the dotted line is the more reliable indication of the average performance. No attempt was made in this study to allow for a sow producing two litters a year. It is believed, however, that she will as closely approximate the curve shown, as she would if producing but one. The large increase of the second litter over the first was probably due to the fact that few of the young sows produced their second litters without a rest of six months. The average size of all the litters here reported was slightly over nine pigs, which is probably above the record of the average herd. This, however, would not tend in any way to change the general direction of the above curve. Feeding and condition of the sow. That the way a sow is fed the week or two before breed- ing exerts an important influence on the number of eggs secreted when she comes in heat and the consequent size of the resulting litter is strongly supported by the observations of the best hog-men. It is not so much the direct effect of the feeding alone which is believed to produce this result, as it is the state of health and breed- ing thrift brought about by the proper combination of judicious feeding and liberal exercise. Thin active sows, when fed liberal rations before breeding, respond to the Size of Litters 101 stimulating effects of the gaming condition by the se- cretion of a maximum number of eggs. (See page 11.) That a low degree of fertility, or even complete sterility, may result from excessive fatness is also clearly estab- lished by experience. Sows which have been highly fitted for show, especially if maintained in this extreme condition for a considerable length of time, require skill- ful handling before regular breeding habits can be estab- lished. Excessive quantities of fat about the generative organs would seem to offer a mechanical obstacle to the normal nutrition of the egg-secreting ovaries, and to the free passage of the eggs after secretion down the Fallopian tubes to the uterus. When to excessive fatness is added the evil of close confinement, the breeding qualities are very likely to suffer permanent injury. Cross-breeding. Some hog-men claim that cross-bred litters are, on the average, larger than pure-bred ones. In the table on the following page are submitted figures which, although limited in number, will throw some light on this ques- tion. Ten pure-bred sows, nine Berkshires and one Poland China, produced a total of 36 litters, 11 of which were cross-bred and 25 pure-bred. Each sow produced both cross-bred and pure-bred litters. Considering that only one of the 11 cross-bred litters was produced by a gilt, or sow with her first litter, while 8 of the 25 pure-bred litters were so produced, the results do not show any advantage in size for the cross-bred over the pure-bred litters. Stated in another way, 73 per cent of the cross-bred litters were produced by mature sows, .while only 36 per cent of the pure-bred litters were produced by mature sows. Making allow- 102 Pork Production ance for the factor of age, therefore, it would seem that the difference of less than one pig is too small to justify the conclusion that cross-bred litters are larger than pure-bred ones. TABLE XVIII. — EFFECT OF CROSS-BREEDING ON SIZE OP LITTERS CROSS-BRED LITTERS PURE-BRED LITTERS Sows Total Total Number of Litters Number Number of Litters Number Pigs Pigs #1 1 (2d litter) 12 1 (1st litter) 7 #2 1 (1st " ) 8 1 (2d " ) 10 #3 1 (2d ' ) 4 3 (1st, 3d, and 4th litters) 14 #4 1 (3d " ) 6 2 (1st and 2d lit- ters) 20 #5 1 (7th " ) 11 6 (1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th lit- ters) 62 #6 2 (3d and 4th lit- 2 (1st and 2d lit- ters) 20 ters) 18 #7 1 (3d litter) 12 2 (1st and 2d lit- ters) 11 #8 1 (5th " ) 9 3 (2d, 3d and 4th litters) 20 #9 1 (4th " ) 9 3 (1st, 2d and 3d litters) 23 #10 1 (3rd " ) 5 2 (1st and 2d lit- ters) 13 Aver- ages 11 Cross-bred litters 8.72 25 Pure-bred litters 7.92 Influence of the boar. That the boar to which the sow is mated exerts an influence on the size of the resulting litter is believed by Size of Litters 103 most hog-men, and experience supplies many instances which seem to prove this claim. On the other hand, the known facts relating to the reproductive process do not seem to supply any ground on which to base this belief; in fact, they indicate that such influence under normal conditions is an impossibility. It is known, for example, that there cannot be a larger number of pigs in the litter than there are eggs produced by the sow at breeding time ; also, that in normal breeding serv- ice the boar supplies a thousand sperms and more for each egg produced by the sow. Under conditions, there- fore, in which the sow and boar are both vigorous, there would seem to be no chance or possibility for the num- ber of pigs farrowed to be in any way affected by the boar. But the sow and boar are not always vigorous, and the facts also support the view that when this is the case the union of the sperms with the eggs may be so weak that not all of them develop completely in embryo; the result is a smaller litter. A boar that is over-used during the breeding season, or is run down and out of condition, or that is lacking in normal fer- tility or vigor, may produce a considerable number of sperms which, although strong enough to fertilize the eggs, lack the life to insure the full embryonic develop- ment of the pigs from these unions. There is good reason for believing, therefore, that in such instances the size of the litter may be influenced below the normal by the boar with which the sow was mated. It should be understood that in no case, however, can the boar cause the number of pigs to be increased beyond that num- ber of eggs produced at the time the sow was mated. (See p. 17.) 104 Pork Production Type, breed, individuality. Although breeds of the bacon type are, as a rule, more prolific than those of the lard type, the question of breed advantage within the respective types will probably never be determined satisfactorily for the reason that the va- rious breeds are in a state of constant change, some on the whole improving and others possibly deteriorating. A statement claiming superiority for one breed over another of the same type might be a fact at this time, but when applied to the same breeds, ten years hence, might be far from the truth. Furthermore, the task of deter- mining from the herd-book records the pig-producing abilities of two breeds for a given time would be an ex- ceedingly tedious and laborious undertaking. The fact that the number of pigs in the litter is not yet made a matter of permanent record by all the breed associations renders such a study impossible for several of our promi- nent breeds. Until such records are reported and a comprehensive study is made of them, the seeker after breed information relating to this important point will be limited in his search to the observations of himself and others, and the more or less prejudiced claims of the different breed advocates. Of the several factors which affect the breeding quali- ties of a sow, individuality is one of the most important. This is determined largely by the combination of heredi- tary qualities represented in her breeding and make-up, and which gives distinction to each of the individuals of a herd. If one breed is superior to another, it is because this breed possesses in the aggregate a larger number of prolific individuals. The prolificacy of any herd or strain of hogs, in the same way, is not a question of breed but Size of Litters 105 of individuals. Every breed possesses a sufficient number of prolific individuals to reward the breeder who will correctly value and then persistently select for this quality. If to careful selection, the breeder will add intelligent feeding and care, the breeding performance of any herd can be developed and maintained at a high standard. The number of pigs raised. The number of pigs farrowed is not as important as the number raised. Although the most prolific sows in the herd raise more pigs, as a rule, than do those which produce smaller litters, they do not raise as large a per- centage of those farrowed. This seems to be especially true when mature sows are compared with gilts. In the following table are summarized the records made by mature sows and gilts at the North Platte, Nebraska, Experiment Station.1 The test included 87 litters produced by gilts and 72 litters by mature sows, in 1910, 1911, 1912, and 1913. The large num- ber of individuals studied makes the results particularly valuable. TABLE XIX. — PERCENTAGE OF PIGS RAISED BY MATURE Sows AND GILTS NUMBER OF LITTERS TOTAL, NUMBER PIGS FARROWED NUMBER PIGS FAR- ROWED PER LITTER NUMBER PIGS RAISED PER LITTER PERCENTAGE OF FAR- ROWED PIGS RAISED Mature sows 72 791 10.9 6.56 60 Gilts . . . 87 714 8.2 6.25 76 1 W. P. Snyder : Bull. 147. 106 Pork Production As bearing on the same point, the number of pigs farrowed dead or immature in litters of different sizes is also instructive. The author is indebted to W. J. Carmichael 1 of the Illinois Experiment Station for these data which are presented in Table XX. TABLE XX. — EFFECT OF SIZE OF LITTER ON NUMBER OF DEAD OR IMMATURE PIGS NUMBER PIGS PER LITTER TOTAL NUMBER op LITTERS TOTAL NUMBER DEAD OR IMMATURE PIGS DEAD OR IMMATURE PIGS PER LITTER PERCENTAGE OP DEAD OR IMMATURE PIGS 4 39 14 .36 8.97 5 57 23 .40 8.07 6 66 25 .38 6.31 7 84 60 .71 10.71 8 86 37 .43 5.37 9 72 63 .87 9.72 10 78 56 .72 7.17 11 53 69 1.30 11.83 12 33 42 1.27 10.61 13 25 39 1.56 11.89 14 11 37 3.36 24.02 15 5 3 .60 4.00 16 3 5 1.66 10.41 Although a larger number of dead or immature pigs is farrowed in litters containing ten or more pigs than less, it would appear that in litters smaller than ten the number of pigs farrowed dead or immature is not greatly affected. When the proportion of dead or immature pigs is con- sidered, the table does not show any greater loss in the larger litters, up to ten, than in the smaller ones. When the number of pigs to the litter exceeds ten, however, 1 Master thesis, Univ. of 111., 1916. Size of Litters 107 there is a regular tendency, both absolutely and relatively, for the number farrowed dead or immature to increase with the increased size of the litter. BIRTH WEIGHT OF PIGS Generally speaking, the heaviest pigs in the litter are the strongest and the smallest ones the weakest. The pig that is well grown and developed at birth has an advantage over his smaller litter-mate which renders him a better prospect for economical pork production. The average weight of pigs at birth is approximately 2^ pounds, but they may range all the way from less than | pound to almost 5. A number of influences are sup- posed to be responsible for this wide variation. Some of these influences or factors are : sex, the age of the mother, cross-breeding, the size of the litter, vigor of the sow and boar at breeding time, and nutrition during foetal development. Sex. It is generally believed that boar pigs are heavier than sow pigs. It is an accepted fact that the males of colts, lambs, and calves are heavier than the females. In Table XXI are some figures interesting in this connec- tion. In 5287 pigs farrowed in the college herds of Illinois1 and Purdue, there were 2376 boars and 2217 sows. The average birth weight of the boars is shown in Table XXI to be 2.58 pounds, and of the sows 2.50 pounds, a difference in favor of the boars of only ^ of a pound. 1 W. J. Carmichael, Master thesis : Univ. of 111., 1916. 108 Pork Production TABLE XXI. — EFFECT OF SEX ON BIKTH WEIGHT OF PIGS SEX NUMBER OP PIGS BORN TOTAL BIRTH WEIGHT op PIGS AVERAGE BIRTH WEIGHT OP Pioa Boars . . Sows . . 2.720 2.567 Ib. 7.023 6.431 Ib. 2.58 2.50 Both sexes 5.287 13.454 2.54 All available American statistics on the proportion of the sexes in pigs would indicate a slight preponderance of males. In Circular 112, Bureau of Animal Industry, Rommel reports the results of an extensive inquiry on this point. From eighty-two breeders in twenty-four states he obtained a record of the proportion of males to females in 1477 litters containing 13,285 pigs, which was, ap- proximately, 201 boars to 200 sows, or 6660 boars and 6625 sows. Carmichael reports in thesis studies the pro- portion of 2560 boars and 2420 sows. Combining both sets of data we have : Boars 9220 Sows 9045 Ratio 100 boars to 98 sows Age of sow. The pigs produced by young sows or gilts in their first litters are supposed to be smaller than those borne by mature sows in their prime, when under the same conditions as to feeding and care. In the following table some figures with reference to this point are shown. The record is here given of the birth weight of pigs farrowed by young sows twelve to eighteen months of age, and the Size of Litters 109 birth weight of all pigs farrowed by mature sows. The figures in the first part of the table are from the records of the Purdue University herd, while those in the last are from records kept at the North Platte, Nebraska, substation.1 TABLE XXII. — EFFECT OF MATURITY OF Sow ON BIRTH WEIGHT OF PIGS LITTERS NUMBER OF LITTERS TOTAL BIRTH WEIGHT ALL LITTERS AVERAGE BIRTH WEIGHT EACH LITTER AVERAGE BIRTH WEIGHT EACH PIQ Young sows, Ib. Ib. Ib. 1st litters 15 256.25 17.08 2.67 Mature sows 13 354.25 24.25 2.61 Gilts, 1st lit- ters . . 87 1649.34 18.95 2.31 Mature sows 72 1898.40 26.36 2.40 AVERAGE OF ALL Young sows, 1st litters 102 1905.59 18.68 2.36 Mature sows 85 2252.25 26.49 2.43 The effect of the age of the sow on the birth weight of the individual pigs farrowed is shown in another way in Table XXIII. The data are the result of studies by W. J. Carmichael.2 It would appear from both tables that there is a tendency for the mature sows to produce slightly heavier pigs individually than the gilts. The difference, how- ever, is very small and does not mean that the pigs from gilts are materially handicapped in their start in life. 1 W. P. Snyder : Bull. 147. 2 Master thesis: Univ. of 111., 1916. 110 Pork Production TABLE XXIII. — EFFECT OF AGE OF Sow ON BIRTH WEIGHT OF PIGS AGE OP Sow; YEARS TOTAL NUMBER OF PIGS AVERAGE BIRTB PIGS t WEIGHT, 1 922 2.4411 3. It 826 2.48 2 899 2.56 2£ 570 2.54 3 455 2.59 3| 299 2.66 4 293 2.56 4* 166 2.70 5 92 2.87 Cross-breeding. As shown in Table XXIV, cross-bred pigs appear to have a heavier birth weight than do pure-breds. In this table the average birth weight of pure-bred pigs is com- pared with that for cross-bred pigs produced by the same sows. Although a larger proportion of the cross- bred pigs were produced by mature sows, the difference shown is suggestive. The method of feeding the sows during pregnancy was the same throughout the years in which the records were taken. (See Chapter III, page 42.) TABLE XXIV. — EFFECT OF CROSSING ON BIRTH WEIGHT OF PIGS TOTAL NUMBER OF LITTERS TOTAL BIRTH WEIGHT OP LITTERS AVERAGE BIRTH WEIGHT OF PIGS Pure-bred pigs . Cross-bred pigs 27 13 Ib. 66.40 34.13 Ib. 2.45 2.62 All pigs . . . 40 100.53 2.51 Size of Litters 111 Size of litter. In Table XXV are figures collected by W. J. Carmi- chael * on the relation of the size of the litter to the birth weight of the individual pigs. The large number of pigs involved in this study makes the data here presented especially valuable. TABLE XXV. — EFFECT OF SIZE OF LITTER ON BIRTH WEIGHT OF PIGS NUMBER OF PIGS PER LITTER TOTAL NUMBER OP PIGS AVERAGE BIRTH WEIGHT, EACH PIG 4 134 2.78 lb. 5 249 2.78 6 353 2.60 7 495 2.65 8 568 2.60 9 579 2.45 10 690 2.42 11 533 2.45 12 365 2.43 13 225 2.44 According to these figures, as the number of pigs in the litter increased, the size of the individuals quite regularly decreased. Vigor of sow and boar at breeding time. That there is a causal relation between the vigor of the parents at breeding time and the vigor and development of their offspring is attested by the observation of stock- men and the results of laboratory experiments. Animals which are in a state of vigorous health at breeding time 1 Master thesis : Univ. of 111., 1916. 112 Pork Production produce germ-cells endowed with the maximum of vigor or growth energy ; while those in a run-down, weakened, or unthrifty condition produce germ-cells which lack the life necessary for the conception of vigorous young. Sows bred immediately after weaning large litters of pigs, when "pulled down" and weakened in condition, before they have had the opportunity to recuperate, produce not only small litters but also pigs which in- dividually are lacking in strength and development. For the same reason, sows in a state of extreme fatness at breeding time, especially if closely confined, do not produce, as a rule, strong pigs. Each pig is the product of two germ-cells, one produced by the sow and one by the boar. If the breeding condition of the boar is at low ebb at this time, as the result of insufficient or excessive feed, lack of exercise, over-use, or disease, his germ-cells, like those of the sow, will lack the life necessary to insure vigorous pigs. It is reasonable to conclude that one of the causes responsible for small weak pigs is the practice of breeding the sows when they and the boar are not in vigorous breeding condition. These observations emphasize the need of more careful attention to feeding and exercise prior to and during the breeding season. Nutrition. Probably the fundamental factor determining the size and development of pigs at birth is the completeness of their nourishment during embryonic development. Both the amount and kind of feed are important in determining the supply of this nourishment. When the ration is deficient in lime and protein, as is not un- common in the corn-belt, the result is a weak and im- Size of Litters 113 perfect development of the pigs. In the same way, a balanced ration may be fed in such stingy portions that the pigs are not fully developed. The effect of a diet of straight corn, in comparison with a balanced ration, on the birth weight of pigs is strikingly shown in experiments conducted at the Iowa Experiment Station, the results of which have already been noted in Chapter III, page 42. Yearling sows fed corn alone during the winter produced pigs averaging 1.85 pounds at birth, while another similar lot fed a ration of corn and meat-meal, containing sufficient lime and protein, pro- duced pigs which weighed, on the average, 2.42 pounds. The average birth weight of pigs from gilts fed corn alone at the same station was 1.74 pounds, while pigs from another lot of gilts in the same experiment fed corn and alfalfa hay weighed, on an average,, 2.29 pounds. In- adequate foetal nourishment is, no doubt, the funda- mental cause of the runt pig. The pigs in abnormally large litters are ordinarily not so well developed as are those in normal-sized litters. (See Table XXV.) This, it seems reasonable to suppose, is due to the inability of the foetal membranes to accommo- date and properly nourish the extra number. As a rule, sows which bring forth two litters a year, also, do not produce as large pigs as they do when farrowing after a six-months rest which is probably the result of deficient nourishment. MILK PRODUCTION OF SOWS The amount of milk which a sow gives determines her ability to raise a large litter of pigs, and is, therefore, of first importance in determining her real value as a breeder. In every herd a few sows are always better i 114 Pork Production milkers than the average, as evidenced by the weight and thrift of their litters at weaning time. The heavy milking sows are, also, the ones which lose the most weight in suckling their pigs. TABLE XXVI. — MILK PRODUCTION OF BROOD Sows Sows AGE YEARS NUMBER op PIGS FARROWED WEIGHT OP LITTERS AT BIRTH AVERAGE DAILY MILK PRODUCTION Berkshire . . 2 10 28 Ib. 7.30 Ib. Berkshire . . 1 5 16 " 4.18 " Berkshire . . 4 10 22 " 7.96 " f Berkshire | Razorback . 1 6 15 " 5.81 " Poland China 2 7 20 " 5.38 " f Poland China i Razorback . 2 6 12 " 3.39 " \ Poland China \ Razorback 2 9 27 " 6.65 " Poland China . 5 8 30 " 4.00 " Razorback . . 2 8 17 " 7.18 " Razorback . . 1 6 13 " 5.38 " Razorback . . 1 6 13 " 3.65 " Razorback . . 3 5 14 " 4.45 " Duroc Jersey . 3 12 35 " 7.33 " Duroc Jersey . 3 13 26 " 6.02 " Duroc Jersey . 3 13 28 " 4.18 " Berkshire . . 5 10 25 " 5.70 " Average . . 8.37 21 " 5.53 " Carlyle l at the Wisconsin Experiment Station de- termined the milk production of twelve sows by keeping the litters and sows separate and weighing the pigs im- mediately before and after nursing. The milk-flow of the individual sows represented in this test is shown in the first part of Table XXVI. The records of pro- 1 Wis. Exp. Sta. Bull. 104. Size of Litters 115 duction of the last four sows listed were determined by Braxton and Jones,1 under the direction of the author, with sows in the Purdue University herd. There is, apparently, as much individual variation in milk-producing capacity in a herd of brood sows as there is among the untested cows of an ordinary dairy herd. The variation shown above ranges all the way from a minimum of 3.39 pounds daily to a maximum of nearly 8 pounds. The average daily production of the sixteen sows tested was 5.53 pounds, which, for a ten- weeks suckling period, would mean an average production of 387 pounds of milk during the lactation period. It is interesting to note, in the preceding table, that the sows which produced the most milk farrowed the largest litters. That a high degree of correlation should exist between two such intimately associated functions is natural. Fertility and milk-producing capacity are in reality expressions of a common function. To improve the milking qualities of a herd, therefore, the prolific sows should be retained. That there is sufficient oppor- tunity for selection in any herd is indicated by the wide variations in the individual records shown in the pre- ceding table. The amount of milk which a sow gives is also largely conditioned on her feeding during the suckling period. In order to secrete a large amount of milk, she must have the raw materials from which to manufacture it. The ration, therefore, that is rich in milk-producing properties and that is fed in liberal amounts is the one which will stimulate and make possible the largest pro- duction which each sow, according to her individuality and breeding, is capable of. 1 Purdue Univ. thesis, 1915. 116 Pork Production The average composition of sow's milk as compared with cow's milk is shown in the following table : TABLE XXVII. — THE COMPOSITION OF Sow's MILK COMPARED WITH COW'S MlLK1 TOTAL SOLIDS FAT CASEIN AND ALBUMIN MILK SUGAR ASH Sow's milk . . Cow's milk . . Per Cent 19.00 13.60 Per Cent 6.70 4.40 Per Cent 5.90 3.50 Per Cent 5.40 5.00 Per Cent 1.00 .70 Difference . 5.40 2.30 2.40 .40 .30 Sow's milk is shown to be richer in all constituents than cow's milk, particularly in casein and albumin (protein), and ash. The fact that sow's milk contains less water and more protein and ash, largely explains why pigs make larger and more economical gains to a unit of milk and weight than do calves. 1 Henry and Morrison : " Feeds and Feeding." CHAPTER VI THE SUMMER FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE BREEDING HERD As a rule, the breeding herd during the summer is under more favorable conditions for the maintenance of health and breeding thrift than in the winter. With most of the farm fenced hog-tight, an adequate range, plenty of green succulent forage, shade and good water, the problems of feeding and management are practically solved. The cost of feeding and the work of handling are, furthermore, reduced to the minimum when natural rather than artificial conditions prevail. FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PREGNANT SOWS Number of litters in a year. The question of whether two crops of pigs shall be produced on the farm each year is one which involves the ability of the sow on the one hand, and the availability of the proper equipment on the other. As a general rule, the mature sow is capable of raising two litters each year. To do this regularly and farrow in season for a number of successive years, however, requires fertile and reliable breeding qualities, and also good feeding and careful management. Allowing 226 days for two gestation periods and 112 days for the time between farrowing and weaning 117 118 Pork Production the pigs, 27 days are left in a year of 365 days, which will give sufficient leeway to permit the sow to come in heat and be bred. If for some reason, as a weakened condition resulting from improper feeding or a lack of natural fertility, she fails to come in heat promptly or does not conceive with the first service, the chances are that she will farrow late. If she falls behind in her breeding schedule, it will be necessary to allow her to skip a period in order to prevent the pigs coming out of season. A certain proportion of the sows in the herd can usually be depended on for two litters each year. When fall pigs are raised, the practice may be to produce a limited number. Approximately 75 per cent of the pigs raised in the corn-belt are spring farrowed. The plan of having each sow produce three litters every two years is a good one. Gilts which farrowed their first litters when from twelve to fourteen months of age should not produce their second until they are two years old. This is neces- sary to insure their own development, on which depends their future usefulness as breeders. Those who raise two litters a year claim that it is faulty management to allow a mature sow to remain idle one- half of the year ; that the yearly cost of feeding the sow is so great that one cannot afford to board her for six months without some return. This is an important point and in line with the growing tendency to look on the brood sow as a producer whose business it should be to work twelve months of the year instead of but six. Success in raising fall pigs will depend largely on the equipment for properly handling them and the disposition to give them the best of care. Warm quarters are a Summer Feeding of the Breeding Herd 119 necessity in most of the pork-producing areas if pigs are to make satisfactory growth during the winter. Fall pigs should be farrowed early so that they may make a good start in their growth before cold weather sets in. In the latitude of the central corn-belt, they should come the latter part of August or early in September. With warm quarters, a clean place to sleep, and good feed, fall pigs will do nearly as well as spring ones. Such pigs should have the growth by spring which will enable them to make excellent use of forage crops and be finished in the early or late summer, depending on the method of feeding employed and their development. However, with the best of conditions, it is not easy successfully to raise and bring through the winter a crop of fall pigs. As a rule, they do not compare favorably at the same age with pigs farrowed in the spring. Further- more, it is a matter of general observation that a sow does not have as many nor as strong pigs as she does when bred but once a year. Nevertheless, with proper equip- ment and good care, these objections are more than balanced by the smaller number of sows which it is neces- sary to keep in order to produce the required number of pigs for the farm. Feeding and management. After the sows are dried off, no time should be lost in preparing them for breeding. The early fall pig is usually a safer investment than the late one. In most sections it is desirable, as a rule, to begin breeding about May first, which will bring the first pigs the last week in August. The importance of flushing, or feeding the sows so as to cause them to gain, has already been discussed in Chap**11* II. The best method of feeding in the spring is the onr* 120 Pork Production which depends largely on legume or other good forage crops, and which supplies just enough grain in addition to secure a gain of about one pound a day for each sow until bred. After the sows are safely in pig, they should be kept during the summer in the condition of flesh that will insure, with exercise, strong pigs and a good milk-flow after farrowing. The principles discussed in Chapter III should be followed during the summer. The sows should be permitted to gain as much as they lose in farrowing and the succeeding suckling period. This will be an average of 75 or 80 pounds for mature sows. Year- ling sows should ordinarily gain more than this. During the first ten weeks of gestation, there should be a sufficient supply of good grass or forage crops to make any grain feeding unnecessary. They may, therefore, occupy during this time the same pasture and quarters as the sows which are not bred. If it is possible to maintain them on green crops alone, and it should be, it will not only mean greater economy in their feeding, but more exercise and more healthful surroundings. The beneficial effects of such conditions will be reflected later in ease of pigging, strong pigs, and a state of health that will support a good milk-flow. Sows which raise two litters a year, however, should not be allowed to become too thin during the summer. It is important that they make the required gain in flesh, most of which should be put on in the last half of the summer. Beginning at this time and continuing until they farrow, the bred sows will ordinarily need some grain or other concentrated feeds. With legume forage crops, these should be largely home-grown. With ordi- nary pastures, a small amount of some protein feed like Summer Feeding of the Breeding Herd 121 tankage, linseed-oil meal, shorts or middlings should be fed with the corn or other grains in approximately the same proportions as recommended for winter feeding on page 56. The amount of grain to feed, or the neces- sity of feeding grain at all, will depend entirely on con- ditions, and will be shown by the condition of flesh the sows are in. The judgment of the feeder, consequently, must always be relied on to determine how much to feed at any time. Plenty of range and green feed will solve the problem of supplying exercise for the bred sows. In the absence of natural shade, which is most to be desired, artificial shades should be provided. These should be so con- structed and located as to receive the greatest benefit from the breezes. In extremely hot weather, an artificial wallow or bath located in the shade will be of value in helping to keep down the temperature of the sows. If properly taken care of, kept clean, and coal-tar dip or crude oil occasionally applied, it is of value. If allowed to become filthy, it may easily become more harmful than beneficial. The sleeping quarters or shade should be kept as free from dust as possible by occasional cleaning and sprinkling with crude oil. Sows which farrow in the fall should be given the same careful attention as regards feeding and handling during the farrowing season as that recommended for the sows which farrow in the spring. (See page 69.) The fall litters should be given every possible consideration, for a good start before cold weather begins is especially de- sirable. During the winter, the pigs should have the warmest quarters available, and they should never be fed less than the amount necessary to keep them in a thrifty growing condition. It is imperative, also, that their beds 122 Pork Production be kept clean and dry and opportunity for some exercise provided. FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE OPEN SOWS Fattening the culls. The sows which have lost their places in the breeding herd should ordinarily be fattened before they are sent to market. Thirty days of intensive feeding will enable them to sell at sufficient advance over the average " grass- widow" to more than pay the costs. In this time a mature vigorous sow should make a gain of 60 to 90 pounds. According to the observation of men who are daily on the market, this gain will, under normal con- ditions, enhance the selling value of the sow by 25 cents a hundred, on the average. This gain should not cost to exceed 5J pounds of grain for each pound of gain, which, with the usual prices, would insure a good profit from fattening. Sows which are to be fattened should have, if possible, access to a patch of rape or some legume forage crop to supplement their grain. Without a good supply of forage, a small quantity of some commercial supplement will be necessary for the best results. Some tankage, or linseed- oil meal, or shorts, will not only insure greater palatability for the ration and faster gains, but also cheaper gains. Fifteen parts of corn, or other grain, to 1 part of tankage or meat-meal, or 2 parts linseed-oil meal, or 5 parts shorts or middlings, by weight, will make a balanced ration. They should be placed ordinarily on full feed as soon as dried off and continued until in good condition. Just how fat they should be made will depend on the weather, the market, and the supply of feed. Summer Feeding of the Breeding Herd 123 Feeding and management of the open brood sows. Mature sows which are not bred should be handled during the summer in a way that will reduce to a minimum the cost of their keep, yet maintain them in an active healthy condition. It is possible to keep a mature open sow on little or no grain, provided good forage crops are available. Furthermore, experience has shown that the most economical method of handling is to provide the crops which will enable them to get most of their living from this source. These crops should be grown in suf- ficient abundance so that the sows, as well as the pigs, may have an adequate supply. A thin mature sow will maintain her weight during June and July on good blue- grass alone, and on a forage crop like clover or alfalfa or rape will make some gain. Much depends, however, on her condition and previous feeding. If the sows are restricted to over-stocked pastures, they will require some grain, especially in late July and August when the ordinary pastures often become parched and bare. When grain feeding is necessary, corn or other home-grown grain is appropriate since their need for protein is limited to the requirements of maintenance, which are small. It should never be necessary to feed the sows more grain than 1 per cent of their weight daily. In addition to economy of feed and labor, the method of feeding recommended above has the merit of providing the conditions which promote exercise and thrift. Sow.; that have had plenty of range during the summer and a minimum of grain are in the best possible state of health for breeding in the fall. Such conditions also provide healthful surroundings and eliminate many of the chances of disease. 124 Pork Production Feeding the yearling sows. Gilts that have farrowed when twelve to fourteen months of age should not, as a rule, be bred for fall litters. They need the next six months of idleness to recuperate their lost energies and to provide the opportunity for the further development necessary to make them good repre- sentatives of their breed. These young sows should not be fattened, but fed with sufficient liberality to insure good growth. For this reason, they will need some grain during the summer. This should not be straight corn, but a ration properly supplemented with some one of the common nitrogenous or protein feeds. This will not be required in large quantity, especially if the sows have access to a good forage crop. About 10 or 12 parts of corn or other grain, to 1 part tankage or meat-meal, or 2 parts linseed-oil meal, or 4 or 5 parts shorts or middlings, or 10 to 15 parts of skim-milk or buttermilk, by weight, will supply the nutrients in the correct proportions for best results. With a good legume forage, they will require less supplement than this; in fact, they will get along very well with none. As a rule, they should be fed considerably less than the amount they will eat. The guide should be their con- dition, rather than their appetites. They should be com- pelled to do a certain amount of rustling, for in addition to the food value of succulent feeds, they will gain much in constitution and vigor as a result of the exercise taken. COST OF SUMMER FEEDING SOWS Bred sows. The feed cost of keeping a pregnant sow from the time her pigs are weaned in the spring until she farrows in the Summer Feeding of the Breeding Herd 125 fall is perhaps subject to more fluctuation than is the cost at any other season of the year. This is due to the wide difference in the types of management employed in feeding the sows and the variation in the value and price of pasture land in the different sections of the country. The feed costs as estimated in the following tables are confessedly approximations. The effort is to represent the cost under different conditions by making three separate sets of calculations. The ability of the sow to make the proper gain during the 126 days of the breeding and gestation periods under the different conditions shown in I, II, and III is the point in the determination about which it is impossible to obtain any very definite figures. TABLE XXVIII. — COST OF SUMMER FEEDING MATURE BRED Sows TO TIME OF FARROWING METHOD OP TOTAL PAS- TURE OR FOR- TOTAL CON- TOTAL COST OF CON- TOTAL FEED MANAGEMENT AGE CHARGE 126 DAYS FED 126 DAYS CENTRATES COST 126 DAYS I at 1 I per lb. — » 4.41 $ 5.01 Poor pasture, 1 per cent at l\i per lb. — 5.52 $ 6.12 no special weight daily at lit per lb. — 6.61 $ 7.21 forage crops (350# sow) at Iffi per lb. — 7.72 $ 8.32 or legumes 441 lb. at 2 t per lb. — 8.82 $ 9.42 at 2\t per lb. — 11.02 $11.62 at 1 t per lb. — 3.31 $ 4.57 Fair pasture, at 30 1 per | per cent weight daily at \U per lb. — at 1M Per lb. — 4.14 4.96 $ 5.40 $ 6.22 forage crops or legumes month $1.26 (350 # sow) 331 lb. at \U per lb. — at 2 t Per lb. — at 2$t Per lb. — 5.79 6.62 8.27 $ 7.05 $ 7.88 $ 9.53 at 1 t Per lb.— .76 $ 3.76 III Specially grown for- age crops or legumes at $12.00 2 per acre 4 sows per acre $3.00 | per cent weight daily (360 # sow) last 6 weelcs only 76 lb. at \\t per lb. — at \U per lb. — at Hi per lb. — at 2 t Per lb. — at 2ff< per lb. — .95 1.14 1.33 1.52 1.90 $ 3.95 $ 4.14 $ 4.33 $ 4.52 $ 4.90 1 1 cent, 11 cents, 1£ cents, If cents, 2 cents, and 2| cents a pound are equivalent, respectively, to 56 cents, 70 cents, 84 cents, 98 cents, $1.12, and $1.40 a bushel for corn. 2 This represents cost of crops, including rent. 126 Pork Production The figures are based largely on experience in handling sows under these conditions. One pound of concentrated feed used in these calculations is equivalent to 1 feed unit. (See page 61.) TABLE XXIX. — COST OF MAINTAINING MATURE OPEN Sow 6 MONTHS DURING SUMMER TOTAL PAS- METHOD OF MANAGEMENT TURE OR FOR- AGE CROP CHARGE 180 DAYS TOTAL CON- CENTRATES FED TOTAL COST OF CON- CENTRATES FEED COST 180 DAYS I % per cent at 1 t per Ib. — $2.92 $3.82 Poor pasture, weight daily at Uj< per Ib. — $3.65 $4.55 no special at 15f£ per (325 # sow) at l±l perlb. — $4.38 $5.28 forage crops month $.90 180 days at Ifjf perlb. — $5.11 $6.01 or legumes 292 Ib. at 2 i per Ib. — $5.84 $6.74 at 2%i per Ib. — $7.30 $8.20 II f per cent at 1 i per Ib. — $2.20 $3.70 Fair pasture, weight daily at \U per Ib. — $2.75 $4.25 no special at 25 i per (325# sow) at l^per Ib. — $3.30 $4.80 forage crops month $1.50 180 days at If jf perlb. — $3.85 $5.35 or legumes 220 Ib. at 2 1 per Ib. — $4.40 $5.90 at 2}l per Ib. — $5.50 $7.00 III 1 per cent at 1 i per Ib. — $0.49 $3.49 Specially at $12.00 per weight daily at l\i per Ib. — $ .61 $3.61 grown for- acre ; 4 sows (325# sow) at H£ per Ib. — $ .74 $3.74 age crops or to the acre 60 days at lU per Ib. — $ .86 $3.86 legumes $3.00 49 Ib. at 2 t per Ib. — $ .98 $3.98 at 2^ perlb, — $1.23 $4.23 Open mature sows. The cost of maintaining an open mature sow during the six months following the time her spring litter is weaned will depend chiefly on the charges made for pasture and forage crops. It is believed that the figures shown in Table XXIX are a fair approximation of the average costs under different conditions. The figures are for sows Summer Feeding of the Breeding Herd 127 averaging 325 pounds, which are maintained at a constant weight for six months during the summer, or until the beginning of the fall breeding season. Open yearling sows. If the gilts weigh about 250 pounds on the average when they wean their litters in the spring, they should be able to make a gain of 75 pounds during the succeeding six months without becoming too fleshy. To make 375- to 400-pound sows in medium condition, they should gain this much. The cost of this increase, with their maintenance, will depend on the factors already discussed. With fairly good pasture, no more than four pounds of grain should be required to produce one pound of gain. With these conditions, the cost will be as shown in Table XXX. With legume forage crops, instead of only fair pasture, the cost should be about 10 per cent less than the figures given. TABLE XXX. — COST OF FEEDING OPEN YEARLING Sow 6 MONTHS DURING SUMMER TOTAL COST OF CONCENTRATES TOTAL PASTURE CONCEN- FEED METHOD OP MANAGEMENT OR FORAGE TRATES TO PRODUCE COST i fin CHARGE GAIN 75 LB. loU DAYS 180 DAYS at 1 i per lb. — $3.00 $4.50 Fair pasture, at l^perlb. - $3.75 $5.25 no special at l^perlb. - $4.50 $6.00 forage crops $1.50 300 lb. at \H per lb. — $5.25 $6.75 or legumes at 2 ^perlb. - $6.00 $7.50 at 2\i per lb. - $7.50 $9.00 CHAPTER VII FEEDING AND CARE OF GROWING AND FATTENING PIGS WITH the pigs weaned, the problem of the feeder is to mature the crop as economically as possible under his conditions without sacrificing the weight and finish required of those which go to market or the growthiness and thrift desirable in those intended for the breeding herd. THE WEIGHT AND TYPE OF PIG DESIRED BY THE MARKET In the corn-belt, no single type or weight of pig sells at the top of the market in all seasons of the year. As a general rule, the market pays a premium for the weights which are most scarce. As a consequence, in the late summer and early fall when weights are the heaviest, light hogs command a premium; while in the middle of the winter and early spring when light weights pre- dominate, the heavier hogs sell at a slight advance. (See Chapter XVI, page 387.) In recent years the tend- ency has been for both producer and consumer to favor the lighter weights. The farmer with higher priced land, feed, and labor has found the method of more intensive feeding and earlier marketing profitable. Like- wise, changing demands during this time have been toward the lighter handier- weight cuts. This has been due to the changing tastes and requirements of the con- 128 Feeding and Care of Pigs 129 sumer, and to the improvements in methods of curing, refrigeration, and transportation of pork products. The weight and type of hog in greatest demand by the market is not necessarily the best for the farmer to pro- duce in a given season. When corn is cheap and hogs relatively high, it is profitable to sacrifice some on selling price a pound for heavier weights. On the other hand, when feed is high and hogs cheap, the feeder is disposed to market early and at immature weights. In general, however, the requirements of the packer and shipper coincide fairly well with the type and weight of hog which the farmers of the corn-belt find most profitable to produce. This is a hog weighing from 200 to 275 pounds and of the general lard type, what the packer calls a medium weight butcher hog. Ordinarily, it is advisable to market at a weight somewhere between these limits. Canadian farmers cannot afford to compete with those of the corn-belt by producing the fat-back lard hog. Both their feed supply and packing interests favor the production of the type of hog that will meet the require- ments of curers of the best British bacon. This means a hog of strictly bacon type, full of lean meat, and capable of producing the "Wiltshire side." (See page 401.) Pigs of this type, sometimes called "singers" on the Chicago market, weighing from 160 to 220 pounds and finished so that the layer of fat on the back and loin is no more than 1^ to Ij inches in thickness, is the kind which experience has shown the great bulk of northern farmers should seek to place on the market.1 These requirements of weight and quality are standard, and practically constant from year to year and from season to season. The price received for the finished pigs is 1 Bull. 10, Dept. of Agr., Dominion of Canada. 130 Pork Production more a question of the quality of bacon which they will produce than the result of any seasonal fluctuation in the number supplied. GENERAL SYSTEMS OF HANDLING AND FEEDING One system of feeding the spring pigs intended for mar- ket is to grow them rather slowly during the summer by the maximum use of forage crops and a minimum of grain, finishing them late the following winter or spring. An- other practice of handling is that of feeding practically full rations from start to finish and having them ready for market by fall or early winter. The bulk of the hogs sold at the great central markets is produced by systems between these two extremes. The most profitable system to follow as a policy on any particular farm must be determined by the conditions. There are many types of farming where hogs are produced, and the method of feeding should be in harmony with the plan of management of the farm, in accord with the pur- pose for which the hogs are produced. On many farms hogs are raised for home consumption only, in which case the problem is to have the pigs at the condition and weight when it is most appropriate and convenient for farm butchering. The most economical method of procedure under these conditions, no doubt, is to depend chiefly on forage crops, kitchen and farm wastes, reducing largely the use of grain until the last month or six weeks of feeding. On other farms, pigs are produced mainly for the purpose of following cattle during the winter, to save the wastes of the feed yard by converting them into pork. For this use the pigs should be vigorous and growthy, and inclined Feeding and Care of Pigs 131 more to thinness than to fatness. The amount of grain necessary to feed during the summer to produce an active, strtmg-boned pig which will weigh in November from 100 to 150 pounds will depend on the time of farrowing and the quality and abundance of the green feed available. With good forage crops and early farrowing, no more than half a ration, or 2 per cent of their weight daily, should be sufficient to produce this weight with pigs of the right type. With April and May pigs and no special forage crops, heavier grain feeding would be necessary. Under such conditions, it is difficult to have the pigs at satis- factory weights without making them too fat for good cattle hogs. When hogs are produced in relatively large numbers and are the principal live-stock product of the farm, the question of intensity of feeding during the summer should be determined for any year by the availability of forage crops, the price of feed, and market conditions. Intensive feeding and early marketing in the corn-belt necessitate early farrowing and a large use of old corn. The higher cost of feed and the special attention required by early pigs at farrowing time, however, are believed by many to be more than compensated for by the better market and the shorter period of dry lot feeding necessary. (See Chapter XVI, page 387.) On the other hand, the system of feeding which finishes the pigs in the middle or late winter does not require so large a use of old corn, may rely more largely on forage crops for the summer gains, and postpones any heavy feeding until the new crop is available. As indicated by present practices in the corn-belt, the general farmer believes this system to be one well adapted to his conditions. With the increase in the practice of hogging-down corn and the need of hogs 132 Pork Production on most farms to follow cattle, the present systems of feeding and handling will probably change but little. FOOD DEMANDS OF THE GROWING AND FATTENING PIG The successful growing and fattening of pigs require that they be supplied with those feeds which will meet their body needs. Two general classes of feeds are re- quired in the proper development of every young animal : first, those which produce fat and heat ; and second, those which supply bone and muscle. The first is commonly called carbohydrate or fat-producing feeds, and the latter, protein or growing feeds. For the most vigorous and economical development, these constituents must be fed in the proportions which will satisfy without waste the demands of the pig for growth as well as fat production ; i.e., the ration must be balanced. These demands vary with the age and development of the pig. The weanling pig weighing 35 pounds requires a considerably larger proportion of growing elements than does the mature hog when being fattened. In the development of the pig from weaning to the market weight of 250 pounds, there- fore, the requirements for bone and muscle-building feeds decrease very regularly, while the need and capacity for using the heat and fat-producing feeds progressively increase. When feeds are high priced, as is now the rule, it is not possible to grow pigs successfully and with profit if attention is not given to feeding rations which are balanced. The importance of this has been repeatedly emphasized by the experiences of practice and the results of carefully conducted feeding tests at the experiment stations. Feeding and Care of Pigs 133 CORN AS A PIG FEED The American farmer has no cereal equal to corn for fattening live-stock. Its unusual palatability, its con- centration and richness in fat-producing qualities, its mildly laxative effects, its keeping qualities and physical texture, make it a feed unequaled for fat production. The fact that 65 per cent of the pork produced in the United States is grown in the corn-belt is largely due to the feeding qualities of this grain. The greatness of corn as a crop in this region is in part due to its extensive use in pork production. Probably no animal on the farm is capable of using so large a proportion of corn in his diet as the lard hog. The faults of corn as a pig feed are that it lacks in protein and mineral matter (ash), which are indispensable for the growth and development of muscle and bone tis- sues. Corn is so over-abundantly rich in carbohydrates and deficient in protein and mineral matter that its grow- ing properties have been sacrificed to fattening properties. Furthermore, the proteins which it does contain are inferior, for they do not supply the kinds and variety necessary to meet all the body needs. The mineral supply of corn is likewise deficient in the kind of elements supplied. Lime, or calcium, which, with phosphorus, makes up more than 80 1 per cent of the ash of bone, is present in extremely meager amounts. Experiments demonstrating the deficiencies of corn alone as a feed for growing and fattening pigs. That growing and fattening pigs do not do well when restricted to a diet of straight corn is admirably demon- 1 Jordan : " The Feeding of Animals," page 46. 134' Pork Production strated by the results of a practical feeding test made at the Iowa Experiment Station 1 in the spring of 1906. Thirty-six shotes, averaging approximately 136 pounds, were divided equally into four lots. Lot I was fed a ration of straight corn-meal, and lots II, III, and IV rations containing corn-meal and different proportions of meat-meal. The results from the lot fed corn alone and that fed ten parts of corn and one of meat-meal, by weight, are here reported. TABLE XXXI. — CORN ALONE VERSUS CORN AND MEAT-MEAL (Iowa Exp. Sta., Bull. No. 91) RATIONS FED LOT I CORN-MEAL. Lor II 10 CORN-MEAL 1 MEAT-MEAL Average daily ration fed . Number pigs per lot ... Average initial weight per pig Average final weight per pig Average daily gain per pig . Feed required to produce 100 Ib gain 6.48# corn-meal 9 134.9# 251.2# 1.163# 556 6jf corn-meal 7.6 1# corn-meal .76 meat-meal 9 137. 1# 322.9# 1.858# 409.9$ corn-meal 40 9 meat-meal The test began on March 13 and closed June 31, covering a period of 100 days. The pigs used were of mixed breeding, growthy, and in rather thin flesh at the beginning of the test, which accounted in part for their rapid gains. They were confined to dry yards, 40 by 80 feet, with open sheds for shelter. Every effort was made to secure uniformity in the different lots of individual pigs, in the conditions of housing, and in the methods of feeding employed. The number of pigs in each lot, the 1 Kennedy and Robbins : Bull. 91. Feeding and Care of Pigs 135 length of the experiment, and the care exercised to make all conditions identical give assurance that the results fairly show the merits of the rations fed under the con- ditions of this experiment. The results of this test are shown in Table XXXI. In growing and fattening pigs for market, the value of the rations fed is determined by the rapidity of the gains, the amount or cost of feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain, and the character of the finish at- tained by the pigs (selling price) at the end of the feed- ing period. This does not consider the greater fertility value of the dropping produced by pigs fed on the better rations. There was a marked difference in the gains on the two rations. The pigs fed the balanced ration made 59.75 per cent faster gains than did those fed the un- balanced ration. While those receiving corn alone made an average gain of 116 pounds, the pigs receiving in addition to corn .76 pound of meat-meal daily, gained 185 pounds. Assuming a uniform rate of gain, the pigs fed corn and meat-meal were as heavy at the end of 62 days' feeding as were those fed corn alone at the end of 100 days' feeding. There was, on the average, a saving of 32 days in the time required to produce 100 pounds of gain. All this means an earlier and usually a better market, and a saving in labor, interest, and risk, con- siderations of no little importance to the practical hog- man. The principal reason why pigs fed a balanced ration always outgain those given an unbalanced one like corn alone, is because it is eaten with greater relish and consequently consumed in larger amounts. Although corn is an unusually palatable feed, the pigs fed the 136 Pork Production balanced ration in this experiment ate 1.89 pounds more daily to each pig than those receiving corn alone, or an increase of 29 per cent. The second and perhaps the most important difference in these two rations was that in the amount of feed required to produce a given gain. Those receiving corn alone required 556.6 pounds of feed for each 100 pounds of gain, while those fed 10 parts corn and 1 part meat- meal needed only 450.8 pounds. This is a saving of approximately 106 pounds of feed in the production of 100 pounds of gain ; or, in other words, the balanced ration required 19 per cent less feed for the same gain. Expressed in another way, a bushel of corn (56 pounds) in the corn-alone lot produced 10 pounds of pork, while 56 pounds of the balanced ration produced 12.42 pounds of pork. Every pound of meat-meal fed in the balanced ration had the equivalent value of 3.58 pounds of corn fed in the corn-alone ration, in producing 100 pounds of gain. If a bushel of corn fed in lot I had a value of 56 cents, a ton of meat-meal, as fed in this experiment, would have a corresponding value of $71.60. If the corn is valued at 70 cents a bushel, the value of the meat-meal would be $81.40 a ton; with corn at 84 cents a bushel, the value of the meat-meal would be $107.40 a ton. The corn-alone ration did not produce economical gains because corn does not contain sufficient protein or mineral matter of the kinds to satisfy the needs of the pigs for muscle and bone development. Although pigs of this age when fed to such heavy market weights are capable of using large amounts of carbohydrates, or fat-producing foods, their requirements for protein, or growth-producing foods are none the less imperative. An efficient use of the ration is possible only when the supply of growing Feeding and Care of Pigs 137 constituents is fed in quantities above a certain minimum, or in larger amounts than are contained in corn. As a consequence, the pigs in this experiment which were restricted to a diet of straight corn were subjected to a mild form of starvation, not so acute with pigs of this development as occurs with those of younger age, the effect of which was to lower the general vitality and vigor and hence reduce their capacity and efficiency as pork-producing machines. Both lots of pigs were appraised by market experts at the close of the experiment and valued at the same price a hundredweight. Both lots were uniformly very fat. Although the pigs which received the balanced ration were more than 70 pounds heavier and had smoother and more glossy coats of hair, those fed corn alone were practically as well finished, and representing a more popular weight, sold at the same price. A summary of all similar data from other experiments in which well- grown pigs were fed supports the conclusion that, as a rule, the feeding of a balanced ration has little effect in increasing the dressing percentage or enhancing the selling price over pigs fed corn alone. This is because the corn ration tends to check growth and stimulate or hasten fat production. The chief benefits to be derived, there- fore, from feeding a nitrogenous supplement with corn to well-grown shotes which are being fattened for market are in the faster gains, the earlier market, and the saving of feed required to produce a given gain. These benefits are amply sufficient to condemn the practice of feeding corn alone. The pigs fed in the above experiment averaged 135 pounds at the beginning of the test, and were well grown and thin in flesh. They were probably late spring pigs 138 Pork Production of the previous year. If the feeding of corn alone to pigs of this development means such waste of feed and time, one should expect the effects of such feeding on weanling pigs to be very much more pronounced or disastrous. That such is the case is the experience of every observant feeder. Investigations show that young pigs restricted to a diet of corn alone, especially when denied the oppor- tunity of rooting, very early develop evidences of im- perfect nutrition. The appetite becomes weak and depraved, and they display a craving for earthy materials, ashes, charcoal, cement, limestone, and the like. If some of these sources of ash or mineral ingredients are not supplied, especially if the water is deficient in salts, evidences of starvation become prominent. They cease to make gains, the coat becomes rough, the eyes dull, and the gait uncertain. Not only are the rate and cost of gains with young pigs out of all proportion to the results obtained from well-balanced rations, but when long- continued the effects may even result in the death of the weaker individuals. To show the possible effects of a ration of corn alone on the size and strength of bone of growing pigs, Burnett of the Nebraska Experiment Station made studies of fundamental importance to the breeder and feeder. Twenty pure-bred Duroc-Jersey pigs, averaging 62 pounds, were divided into five equal lots of four pigs each. From August 2, 1907, to January 3, 1908, a period of 154 days, they were fed the following rations : Lot I, corn-meal alone; lot II, 75 per cent corn-meal and 25 per cent shorts; lot III, 25 per cent corn-meal and 75 per cent skim-milk ; lot IV, 90 per cent corn-meal and 10 per cent tankage; lot V, 90 per cent corn-meal and 10 per cent bone-meal. During the first 84 days of the test, all the Feeding and Care of Pigs 139 lots were on alfalfa pasture, which undoubtedly insured a better showing for the pigs in lot I than would other- wise have been possible. For the remainder of the time, they were confined to the dry lot and the above rations. The interesting results of this experiment are shown in the following table : TABLE XXXII. — THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT RATIONS ON THE SIZE AND BREAKING STRENGTH OF BONE (Neb. Exp. Sta., Bull. 107) AVERAGE RATIONS FED AVERAGE WEIGHT OF GREEN BONES IN GRAMSI AVERAGE CIRCUM- FERENCE OF BONES IN MILLI- METERS AVERAGE THICKNESS OF BONE WALL IN MILLI- METERS PERCENT- AGE OF MINERAL MATTER IN GREEN BONE BREAKING STRENGTH OF BONE3 PER 100# LIVE WEIGHT OF PIGS Ib. Corn-meal, 100% 1097 73. 2.8 25.4 325 C orn-meal , 75 % Shorts, 25% 1044 69.9 2.9 27.8 396 Corn-meal, 25% Skim-milk 75% 1232 71.3 3.7 32.7 509 Corn-meal, 90% Tankage, 10% 1219 73.6 3.7 35.5 580 Corn-meal, 90% Ground bone, 10% 1196 71.6 4.1 37.2 681 Several striking facts stand out in these results. The breaking strength of the bones of pigs fed skim-milk, tankage, or ground bone with corn was from 56 to 109 1 The above figures were obtained by averaging the data for the following bones of each pig : 2 femur, 2 tibia, 2 humerus, and 2 ulna and radius. 140 Pork Production per cent greater than for the pigs fed corn alone. This greater strength was not due to bone of larger apparent size, but to a thicker bone- wall and a denser structure of the bone itself. The figures show that the circum- ference of the bones was not affected by the ration, but the weight, thickness of wall, and percentage of mineral matter present was very markedly affected. The addition of 25 per cent of shorts to a corn ration would appear to have little effect on the strength or composition of the bone produced when compared with corn alone. This result seems reasonable in view of the fact that shorts contain a relatively small amount of mineral matter, particularly calcium. Other studies by Burnett and similar studies by Carlyle 1 and Forbes 2 have given results which confirm those here reported. This experiment supplies emphatic evidence of the deficiency of corn as a bone-building feed. Chemical analyses have made it known that this is chiefly due to the extremely small amount of calcium or lime contained. The practical effect of adding tankage or skim-milk was not only to supply needed proteins, but also to furnish the calcium and other inorganic elements in which corn is so notoriously lacking. Although this experiment does not prove directly that the feeding of corn alone causes pigs to go off on their feet and legs, it supplies very strong indirect evidence that this may be the case. Other factors affect the ability of a hog to stand square and strong on his legs and feet, but that the quality or composition of the rations fed has an important influence in supplying strength or weakness cannot be questioned seriously. To develop a breeding herd noted for good 1 Wis. Exp. Sta. Bull. 104. 2 Ohio Exp. Sta. Bulls. 213 and 283. Feeding and Care of Pigs 141 legs and sound pasterns and feet requires, therefore, not only care in the selection of the breeding stock, but also the feeding of rations during the growing period which promote instead of prevent the development of strong bone. Although wheat, rye, barley, kaffir, and milo contain somewhat more protein and ash than does corn, they are very similar in their general feeding qualities. Like corn, they have an excess of those constituents (carbo- hydrates) which promote fat-production and retard growth, and a deficiency of those materials (protein and ash) which stimulate muscle and bone development. The above experimental results from the feeding of corn alone may, therefore, be taken as a fairly reliable in- dication of the results to be obtained with any of these grains when fed singly and alone. Realizing the necessity of feeding with corn or other home-grown grain feeds which tend to balance it by furnishing protein and mineral matter, the hog-man is confronted with the question of the most economical method of supplying these necessary materials. There are two available sources of feeds of this nature : forage crops which may be grown on the farm, and so-called nitrogenous or protein supplements which may be pur- chased on the market. The use of one or both of these classes of feeds in conjunction with the home-grown grain is necessary for the most rapid or the most econom- ical growth of the pig crop. THE ADVANTAGES OF FORAGE CROPS The attention which has been directed in recent years by the experiment stations, extension lecturers, and the 142 Pork Production agricultural press to the merits of forage crops as means of balancing the corn ration and improving present methods of pork production has had the effect of stimu- lating interest and inquiry into the possibilities of these crops and the place which they should occupy in a well- organized plan of management for the hog farm. In the following pages the results of experimental feeding tests are presented together with the teachings which a careful study of these results seems to justify. Dry lot versus forage feeding. In Table XXXIII are presented the summarized results of eleven experiments 1 in which the dry lot method of feeding pigs was compared with that of feeding on forage. In all cases, the experiments began soon after the pigs were weaned and continued throughout most of the summer, covering an average period of 104 days, Timothy was used in three of the tests, rape in four, alfalfa in two, a mixture of rape, Canada field peas and oats in one, and soybeans in one. In each experiment the same grain rations were fed in the dry lot and on forage, except in one of the Iowa tests when the proportion of meat-meal to corn fed on forage was slightly less than that fed in the dry lot. With but one exception, the pigs in both the dry and forage lots were full fed ; i.e. given all the grain they would eat. It should also be noted that in every comparison the ration fed in the dry lot was practically a balanced one. In no case is there an experiment included in which corn alone was fed. In other words, each experiment in- cluded in this summary is a test of the balanced ration 1 Iowa Exp. Sta. Bull. 91 ; Kans. Exp. Sta. Bull. 192 ; Ohio Exp. Sta. Bull. 242. Feeding and Care of Pigs 143 fed in the dry lot and the same ration on forage. The result of feeding as large a proportion of nitrogenous supplement in the forage as in the dry lot was to supply, in most cases, an excess of protein to the forage-fed pigs. TABLE XXXIII. — SUMMARY — DRY LOT VERSUS FORAGE FEEDING (Av. 11 EXPS.) TOTAL NUMBER PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH TEST AVERAGE DAILY GAIN AVERAGE CONCEN- TRATES RE- QUIRED TO PRODUCE 100 LB. GAIN AVERAGE CONCEN- TRATES SAVED PER ACRE FORAGE AVERAGE AMOUNT PORK AC- CREDITED 1 ACRE FORAGE days Ib. Ib. Ib. Ib. Dry lot 62 104 .85 413.25 — — Forage 115 104 1.17 351.29 1102.42 266.77 The summarized statement of these experiments shows that the pigs in the dry lot gained an average of .85 pound daily, while those on forage gained 1.17 pounds. This is a difference of practically -§- pound daily for each pig. In other words, the pigs on forage were 33 pounds heavier at the end of 104 days' feeding. When rapid gains and an early market are sought by the feeder, the importance of providing green crops is shown by the fact that the pigs on forage were practically as heavy at the end of 2| months' feeding as were those in the dry lot at the end of 3j months' feeding. The average amount of concentrates (corn + supple- ment) required to produce 100 pounds of gain was 413.25 pounds for the dry lots and 351.29 pounds for the forage lots. The green feed consumed by the forage lots caused an average saving of 62 pounds of concentrates in the production of each 100 pounds of gain. Whether or not 144 Pork Production the saving of this quantity of corn and supplement by the forage eaten effected a saving in the actual cost of producing a given gain may be considered more profitably in the light of the figures given in the last two spaces of the summary table. An acre of forage in these experiments must be given credit for producing an average of 266.77 pounds of pork, or in effecting a saving of 1102.42 pounds of grain or concentrates. The pork credited to each acre of forage was determined from the original data by the following method : The total pounds of concentrates fed the forage lot was divided by the number of pounds of con- centrates required to produce one pound of gain in the dry lot. This gave the number of pounds of pork which would have been produced in dry-lot feeding from the concentrates actually fed in the forage lot. Then by subtracting from the total gains made on forage the calculated gains which would have been made in the dry lot from the same concentrates, we get the gains which must be credited the forage eaten. In other words, from the same quantity of concentrates, pigs fed on one acre of forage would have produced 266.77 pounds more pork than those fed in the dry lot. The concentrates saved by an acre of forage was calculated by multiplying the number of pounds of pork credited to each acre of forage by the pounds of feed required to produce one pound of gain in the dry lot. To produce a gain of 266.77 pounds in the dry lot, there would be required, according to these figures, 1102.42 pounds of concentrates. As a means of reducing the cost of producing gains in growing pigs during the summer, therefore, the average acre of the above forage crops had values as shown in the following table : Feeding and Care of Pigs 145 TABLE XXXIV. — AVERAGE VALUE OF AN ACRE OF FORAGE IN REDUCING COST OF GAINS When 1 pound of pork was worth. W $13.34 §i $16.01 7t $18.67 8* $21.34 9* $24.00 When 1 pound of concen- trates cost • l* $11.02 1** $13.77 11* $16.53 1!* $19.28 2* $22.04 When 1 pound of pork was worth 10* $26.67 11* $29.34 13* $34.68 15* $40.01 16* $42.68 When 1 pound of concen- 2i^ $24.79 21* $27.55 3i $33.06 31* $38.57 4^ $44.08 The above table illustrates the usual method of express- ing the money value of an acre of forage. It should be clearly understood, however, that these values are de- termined by the saving in the cost of producing the gains solely, and do not include a valuation of the important benefits derived from the faster gains and earlier market finish, as well as other advantages. It may be profitable to grow forage crops even though the rent of the land and the cost of growing the crop are greater than the returns gotten when expressed by the above method of valuation. It should also be pointed out in this connection that the effect of limiting the grain feed to pigs on forage at the point where only fair gains are made, or so as to secure the same gains on forage as are made in the dry lot, is to increase the value of the crops when estimated by this method. For example, if two lots of pigs, one in the dry lot and one on forage, are fed the amounts of grain which will insure the same average rate of gain in both lots, the showing of the forage crop would be much better than if both lots had been full fed for maximum gains. The average results shown in Table XXXIII are less favorable 146 Pork Production to the forage crops, therefore, than would be the case with this common method of feeding. With the method of full feeding, the benefits of the forage crop are largely derived from the faster gains, while with limited feeding on forage the benefits from the crop are chiefly due to the saving effected in the grain required to produce a unit of gain. Feeding skim-milk on forage. An exception is to be made to the usual results of dry lot versus pasture feeding when skim-milk or buttermilk is used as the nitrogenous supplement. These supple- ments are so watery and so completely balance the de- ficiencies of grain, that there appears to be no benefit in faster or cheaper gains by allowing the pigs access to a succulent forage crop. The addition of a bulky forage to a ration of grain and milk would appear, in fact, to be detrimental. This is shown by the results of experi- ments made by Linfield at the Utah Experiment Station.1 The average of two tests made in different years is shown in the following table : TABLE XXXV. — SKIM-MILK ON PASTURE VERSUS SKIM-MILK IN THE DRY LOT RATIONS AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PlQ GRAIN AND MILK TO PRODUCE 100 LB. GAIN Grain Milk Dry lot . . Mixed pasture and alfalfa . Grain -f- skim-milk or buttermilk Grain -f- skim-milk or buttermilk Ib. 1.25 1.18 253 284 900 832 1 Bull. 70. Feeding and Care of Pigs 147 Corn alone versus corn and forage. In all of the experiments summarized in Table XXXIII, the pigs in the dry lots were fed balanced rations. If corn alone had been given in both the forage and dry lots, the value of the forage in each case would have been greatly increased. To illustrate the high valuation of the forage crop when calculated on the basis of the cost of producing gains with corn alone in the dry lot, the few available experimental results are summarized and presented in the following table.1 The value of these forage crops as sources of protein and mineral matter, or as means of balancing a ration of corn alone, is, also, strikingly shown by these results. TABLE XXXVI. — SUMMARY : CORN ALONE VERSUS CORN AND FORAGE (Av. 3 Exps.) TOTAL, NUM- BER PIGS AVERAGE NUMBER PIGS GRAZED PER ACRE AVERAGE LENGTH OF TEST AVERAGE DAILY GAIN AVERAGE AMOUNT CORN RE- QUIRED TO PRO- DUCE 100 LB. GAIN AVERAGE AMOUNT CORN SAVED BY 1 ACRE FORAGE AVERAGE AMOUNT PORK AC- CREDITED 1 ACRE FORAGE days Ib. Ib. Dry lot 14 68 .59 699.0 — — Forage 17 18 68 1.25 359.1 3738.18 534.79 Although the experimental work presented in this table is too meager to make generalizations possible, and although the poor returns from corn alone are extreme, the results are nevertheless suggestive. As would be expected, the value of the forage crops in these experi- ments was much greater than in those in which balanced 1 Kans. Exp. Sta. Bull. 192 ; Ohio Exp. Sta. Bull. 243 ; Ala. Exp. Sta. Bull. 154. 148 Pork Production rations were fed in the dry lot. The amount of pork accredited each acre of forage here was almost exactly double that shown in Table XXXIII. The difference in the saving of grain effected was even greater. When corn alone was fed, an acre of forage saved 3738 pounds of grain, while when corn and a nitrogenous supplement were given, an acre of forage saved 1102 pounds of feed. The pigs in these experiments, like those in the previous tests, were of spring farrow and full fed during the periods of the tests. That the usual forage crops supply considerable quan- tities of food materials which are lacking in corn is also shown by the summarized results in Table XXXVI. The pigs obtaining forage in these experiments gained more than twice as fast as did those receiving corn alone in the dry lot, and the amount of corn fed for each 100 pounds' gain was practically one-half. Although most forage crops do not supply sufficient protein to balance straight corn for pigs, they do furnish sufficient materially to reduce the proportion of purchased supplements neces- sary for productive rations. Summary of benefits from growing forage crops. Considering the teachings of practical experience as well as the results of experimental studies, the following advantages for forage crops may be enumerated : 1 . Pigs on forage make more rapid gains than do those confined to the dry lot, other conditions being the same. It has also been observed that forage-fed pigs are capable of sustaining a rapid rate of gain for a longer period of time. With balanced rations and full feeding, the average rate of gain, as shown by the experimental results in Table XXXIII, was increased 37 per cent. With corn alone and Feeding and Care of Pigs 149 full feeding, the forage increased the rate of gain, as shown in Table XXXVI, more than 111 per cent. The tonic effects of the succulence, the laxative properties of the green feed, and the variety of proteins and mineral ele- ments supplied seem to be responsible for a state of health and thrift which insures greater capacity for the digestion and assimilation of food. It is probable, also, that the greater freedom and more exercise, and the more healthful conditions generally, contribute materially to this increased vigor. When feeding for the quickest development and the earliest market, a ration that will stimulate rapid gains is of the greatest importance. An extra gain of \ pound daily would ordinarily mean a saving of more than two months' time in the production of a 225-pound shote. (See page 218.) In the development of young boars and gilts, the breeder with forage crops may secure rapid gains without the dangers of forcing which would be necessary in dry-lot feeding. 2. Pigs which have been fed on forage crops during the summer do better when placed in the dry lot than those which have not had the advantage of green feeds. The beneficial effects of the forage crops, in other words, are not confined to the forage-feeding period alone, but are noticeably maintained during the succeeding weeks of dry-lot feeding. This is another reason why the figures given in Table XXXIV do not represent the full value of these crops. This desirable residual effect is the result, no doubt, of the more vigorous state of health brought about by the forage conditions and to the larger capacity resulting from the consumption of the bulky succulent feeds. 3. When corn, or other grain, is very high or un- 150 Pork Production obtainable, a succession of forage crops during the summer makes it possible, with the minimum of grain, to maintain thrift and fair gains until the next crop is harvested. Without these crops, the farmer is frequently forced to the necessity of sacrificing his pig crop by marketing them at very immature weights, or of carrying them through under conditions injurious to health and fatal to profits. The value of an acre of good forage in such a situation as this, which is not uncommon, is very much greater than that shown by the usual method of calcula- tion. 4. Forage crops reduce the amount of grain required to produce 100 pounds of gain. As indicated by the aver- age of the experimental results shown in Table XXXIII, one may expect, even when the pigs on forage are full fed and those in the dry lot are given balanced rations, a saving of 15 per cent, approximately, in the amount of grain required to produce a given amount of pork. When corn alone was full fed in both forage and dry lots, the saving effected, as shown in Table XXXVI, was more than 48 per cent. With good forage crops, this saving alone is usually sufficient to pay all the costs of providing the crops. Under given conditions, the higher the price of grain the more important does this saving become. With higher prices for pork and the increased use of corn and other grains for human consumption, any method of pork production which will save grain becomes increas- ingly important. 5. Another very inportant advantage resulting from the growing of forage crops, especially in the corn-belt, is due to the fact that a smaller quantity of commercial protein feeds need be purchased in order to insure balanced rations for the growing pigs. This is because these crops, PLATE IV. — Above, A visible demonstration of the deficiencies of corn alone for growing and fattening pigs ; below, A big smooth gilt with only two pairs of good teats, an expensive luxury. Feeding and Care of Pigs 151 especially the legumes and Dwarf Essex rape, contain liberal amounts of protein and mineral matter. The new growth of the ordinary cereal crops like oats, rye, and barley are very much richer in these growing constituents, also, than the same crops at maturity. Provision for such crops, consequently, means a smaller cash outlay for such feeds as tankage, meat-meal, shorts, middlings, or oil-meal, and the more exclusive and larger use of corn or other home-grown grains. The hog-man is, therefore, made more independent of outside sources of feed supply. 6. Access to forage crops insures that the droppings will be left where the land is certain to receive the full benefits from the fertility contained. Contrasted with the results of dry-lot feeding, where the droppings are allowed to accumulate and waste away in the barnyard, and to become a source of filth, infection, and disease, this system effects a large and an increasingly important saving. More than 85 per cent l of the fertility of the feed eaten by a fattening pig is recovered in the manure. Henry and Morrison 2 have calculated that the fertility value of the manure produced by a 1000 pounds of pigs in one year has a value exceeding $38, when the nitrogen is valued at 18 cents, phosphoric acid at 4.5 cents, and potash at 5 cents a pound. According to these figures, the actual fertility value of the droppings produced by an average pig during the summer would be about $2. Feeding pigs on forage is a sure and certain method of increasing rapidly the fertility of the land on which they graze. 7. Finally, forage crops mean improved sanitary con- ditions for the pigs. If for no other reason, all so-called 1 Warington : " Chemistry of the Farm," page 214. 2 " Feeds and Feeding," page 279. 152 Pork Production permanent hog-lots should be plowed up frequently and sown to crops. Not only will these lots be made to yield food, but the complete aeration of the soil and the action of the direct rays of the sun will insure the death of parasites and disease germs more effectively and at less cost than can be accomplished by any other known method. Pigs on forage crops in contact with clean earth are more thrifty and vigorous than those confined to dry lots. The fundamental reason why pigs fed on forage display such capacity for rapid gains is because of this thrift. A condition of thrift in the growing market pig is also essential for the production of the best quality of pork, especially firm bacon. Without thrift, the pigs intended for the breeding herd are lacking the first essential for successful performance. The use of forage crops insures the conditions which encourage the development of vigor and constitution and eliminates many of the conditions responsible for unthriftiness and disease. CHAPTER VIII CHOOSING A FORAGE CROP: EXPERIMENTAL FEEDING TRIALS THERE is no best single forage crop, or succession of forage crops, for all farms and all seasons. Differences in climate, rainfall, and soil make it obvious that a crop well adapted to the South or West might prove an utter failure in the North or East. Normal variations in temperature and rainfall from year to year result, also, in wide differences in the quality and value of any par- ticular crop grown on the same soil in different years. The value of a crop in any year is conditioned on the favorableness of the season for that particular crop. Furthermore, differences in the type or plan of manage- ment followed on farms may require the use of forage crops on some farms which would not be the most profit- able when other systems of management are followed. For these reasons, the selection of forage crops is first a ques- tion of location and type of farming. Essentials of an ideal forage. In order that a forage crop may be the most valuable for a given farm, it should possess as many desirable individual characteristics as possible. Evvard 1 of the Iowa Experiment Station has well summarized these characteristics by naming the following as the essentials * Bull. 136. 153 154 Pork Production of an ideal forage for hogs: "(1) adaptability to local soil and climate; (2) palatability ; (3) heavy yield of digestible matter which is comparatively high in protein and suitable growing ash ; (4) narrow nutritive ratio ; i.e. the relation of digestible protein to digestible carbo- hydrate equivalent should not be wider than 1:5, and better still if as narrow as 1:2; (5) succulence ; (6) afford pasture for a long grazing season; (7) ability to endure tramping and grazing; (8) permanency; (9) reasonable cost and ease of seeding; (10) capability of furnishing quick pasturage any time during the growing season; (11) leguminous characteristics." MEDIUM RED CLOVER Common red clover is one of the most valuable and widely used forage crops for hogs. In the corn-belt especially this crop is a fixture in the rotations practiced on the best farms. Being a' legume it not only improves the fertility of the soil by its nitrogen-gathering property, but its abundant supply of protein and lime makes it particularly valuable as a forage crop for young pigs. Its richness in muscle and bone-building foods insures better results with straight corn feeding than can be obtained, as a rule, from the non-legumes. As an ally to corn in pork production in the corn-belt, clover is without a peer. When carefully handled, red clover will supply grazing in a favorable season from June to No- vember. One of the disadvantages of red clover as a forage crop is that it tends to become coarse and woody rather early in the summer, especially in the second year and in a dry season. It does not stand drought as successfully as Choosing a Forage Crop 155 alfalfa or rape. For this reason, the supply of succulence is not uniformly distributed throughout the summer. Clover frequently winter-kills and is quite sensitive to over-stocking. On some soils it is difficult to secure a "catch," and being a biennial it requires seeding every two years. The wide adaptability of red clover, however, the important position which it occupies in successful farming generally, and its feeding qualities, make it one of the most popular of forage crops. More specific information relative to the value of this crop in comparison with other forages is to be found by a study of the results of feeding trials conducted at the experiment stations. The most important recent studies are summarized and reported in the following pages. Clover versus alfalfa. These two premier forages have been compared in five recent experimental feeding tests conducted at three different corn-belt stations. In each trial the pigs used were of spring farrow and the experiments began early in the summer, covering an average period of 135 days. Practically full corn rations were fed in all except one trial in which three-fourths of a full ration was given. In all but one of the experiments, a small proportion of tankage was fed to supplement the corn. The results are summarized and shown in Table XXXVII. Although the pigs on clover made a shade faster gains, those on alfalfa gained the most from a unit of grain fed. Also, the alfalfa lots yielded the heavier cuttings of hay. When alfalfa is available, feeders usually prefer it to clover not only because of the results here shown, but also because it furnishes a more uniform and constant supply of forage throughout the summer. 156 Pork Production TABLE XXXVII. — SUMMARY : CLOVER VERSUS ALFALFA (Av. 5 Exps.) l FORAGE AVERAGE NUMBER PIGS PER ACRE AVERAGE LENGTH OF TESTS AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCENTRATES EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN 2 Clover . 16 days 135 Ib. 1.175 Ib. 350 Alfalfa . 16 135 1.154 343 Clover versus rape. The relative merits of these two crops have been tested in six separate feeding experiments, the summarized results of which appear in Table XXXVIII. In each trial the pigs on clover were fed the same grain rations as were those on rape. Pigs of spring farrow were employed and, except in the Wisconsin trials, were confined to measured areas of forage. The different experiments covered periods ranging from 60 to 141 days. TABLE XXXVIII. — SUMMARY : CLOVER VERSUS RAPE (Av. 6 Exps.) 3 FORAGE AVERAGE NUMBER PIGS PER ACRE AVERAGE LENGTH OF TESTS AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCENTRATES EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Clover . . . Rape . . . 18f 19 days 100 100 Ib. 1.122 1.071 Ib. 361 345 Exp. Sta. Bull. 136; Ind. Exp. Sta., unpublished data; 111. Exp. Sta., unpublished data. 2 Average amount of hay cut from each acre — alfalfa, 3238 Ib. ; clover, 1215 Ib. 3 Iowa Exp. Sta. Bull. 136; 111. Exp. Sta., unpublished data; Wis. Exp. Sta., 16th and 17th An. Rpts. ; Ind. Exp. Sta., unpub- lished data. CJwosing a Forage Crop 157 In four of the experiments out of the six here sum- marized, the pigs on clover made the faster gains, while in the other two the rape-fed pigs gained faster. In each of the experiments, on the other hand, the pigs on rape required less concentrated feed to produce a unit of gain than did those on clover. Although rape is not a legume and does not improve the soil in nitrogen-content, it is richer than clover in protein. In some of these experiments a small cutting of hay was taken from the clover lots. The carrying capacity of these crops appears to be about the same, both being very large when grown on rich soil and good stands are obtained. At the Missouri Experiment Station,1 Mumford and Weaver, in tests made of clover in 1908 and 1910, pastured an average of eleven pigs to the acre for 133 days. The pigs were fed straight corn in quantities to secure a uniform rate of gain of J pound daily. With this method of feed- ing, 100 pounds of gain were secured from an average of only 295 pounds of corn. OTHER CLOVERS Because of its good yielding powers and fine quality of stems, alsike clover is probably the equal of medium red clover as a forage crop. The fact that it does well on acid soils too wet for ordinary clover is causing it to be more generally grown in the corn-belt. Mammoth clover is not as highly regarded, as a rule, as medium red, chiefly because of the rank coarse quality as a forage. It is a heavy yielder, however, and does well on thin sandy soil. White clover is a persistent-growing perennial which greatly adds to the value of permanent pastures . 110. 158 Pork Production of both the North and the South. In every section of the country, some variety of clover is grown successfully for forage purposes. Crimson clover is an annual possess- ing wide adaptations, particularly suited to the South Atlantic states. It provides valuable forage for hogs during the winter. Varieties of Bur clovers are success- fully grown and used as forage crops for pigs in the South and West. They are considered valuable supplements in Bermuda pasture. Lespedeza, or Japan clover, is one of the most valuable legumes of the South. It is an annual, but reseeds itself every year. It does especially well on poor sandy soils and should be of large value as a forage for pigs, either as a part of permanent pastures or as a specially grown crop. Investigations by Evvard and Kennedy of the Iowa Station l would indicate that sweet clover, especially the first year's growth, has considerable value as a forage for pigs. When fed a ration of ear corn, with 10 per cent meat-meal during the last 57 days of the period, twenty-two 38-pound pigs were pastured on an acre of sweet clover from June 22 to November 10. The good results obtained are shown by the fact that the pigs made an average daily gain of 1.02 pounds at a cost of 3.38 pounds of grain feed. The results secured from the same plot by pasturing the second year's growth the succeeding year, however, were very much less favorable. This year the pigs made an average gain of only .53 pound daily, while other pigs in the same experiment on rape and alfalfa gained, with the same grain rations, more than one pound daily. The poor results from the second crop were attributed to the extremely coarse woody nature of the growth. (See Table XL, page 161.) i Bull. 136. Choosing a Forage Crop 159 ALFALFA Alfalfa is one of the most important swine forages. When of good stand, it combines the merits of unusual palatability and richness in protein and mineral matter with heavy yielding powers, permanency, the ability to furnish a uniform supply of forage through a long grow- ing season, and exceptional ability to withstand the effects of droughts. It is a deep-rooted perennial and does best when the water-level is not too close to the surface. Alfalfa, however, is not without its faults as a forage crop on every farm. Because it is such a valuable peren- nial, it does not fit in with the usual crop-rotating systems as does clover. Furthermore, alfalfa is not an easy crop to grow successfully in many sections. Much time and considerable expense are often the necessary preliminaries to a good stand. If stocked too heavily, there is great danger that the young shoots will be eaten and the crowns permanently injured. The safest and perhaps the most profitable procedure to follow is never to pasture so heavily that at least one good cutting is not taken for hay. Also, close cropping in the fall makes it very susceptible to winter-killing. The value of alfalfa as a permanent hay and forage crop is so great, however, that the rules for its successful growth are being studied more carefully and its culture widely extended. Alfalfa versus rape. Four experiment stations have studied more or less extensively the relative merits of alfalfa and rape as forages for pigs. In all, ten feeding experiments have been made, the summarized results of which are given 160 Pork Production in Table XXXIX. These trials covered periods of 80 days for the shortest and 190 days for the longest period. Three-fourths to full grain rations were fed, consisting of either corn alone or corn supplemented with a small proportion of tankage. TABLE XXXIX. — SUMMARY : ALFALFA VERSUS RAPE (Av. 10 Exps.) i FORAGE AVERAGE NUMBER PIGS PER ACRE AVERAGE LENGTH OF TESTS AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCENTRATES EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Alfalfa .' 22 days 128 Ib. 1.156 Ib. 348 Rape . . 19 123 1.102 343 It would appear from these average results that alfalfa is a somewhat better forage crop than rape. Although the pigs on rape required less grain for a unit of gain, those on alfalfa made slightly faster gains. A small but important difference in favor of the alfalfa is also shown by the larger number of pigs carried on a given area of forage. In five of the experiments, the alfalfa lots yielded an average of 3680 pounds of cured hay to the acre. At the Missouri Experiment Station,2 an average of 10.3 pigs, weighing 60 to 90 pounds at the beginning of the experiment, were pastured 163 days on an acre of alfalfa. The amount of corn required to produce 100 pounds of gain was 307, the pigs being fed the quantity of corn which would maintain a uniform rate of gain of f pound daily. Assuming, as did the authors of this 1 Kans. Exp. Sta. Bulls. 124 and 192 ; Iowa Exp. Sta., Eward, Am. Society Animal Pro., 1913 ; 111. Exp. Sta., unpublished data ; Ind. Exp. Sta., unpublished data. 2 Bull. 110. Choosing a Forage Crop 161 bulletin, that 5.6 pounds of corn would have been re- quired for each pound of gain made in the dry lot, the acre of alfalfa would have a credit of 592 pounds of pork. Assuming that the same pigs would have made a pound of gain from 4j pounds of corn, the credit due to an acre of alfalfa would be 416 pounds of pork. Alfalfa versus sweet clover. Forage experiments conducted at the Iowa Station 1 afford an opportunity of comparing alfalfa with second- year sweet clover and a mixture of oats, Canadian field peas, and rape. The pigs on the alfalfa and sweet clover plots averaged at the beginning of the trial 18 J pounds and were started on forage May 19. The pigs on the mixture were turned in June 13 and averaged 26 pounds. All lots were fed ear-corn and a very small proportion of meat-meal. Full grain rations were fed only during the last 100 days of the experiment. The results of this trial are shown in Table XL. TABLE XL. — ALFALFA VERSUS SWEET CLOVER (Second Year) VERSUS MIXTURE CANADIAN FIELD PEAS, OATS, AND RAPE FORAGE NUMBER PIGS PER ACRE LENGTH OP TEST AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCEN- TRATES EATEN FOR £ACH 100 LB. GAIN Alfalfa . . . 17 days 180 76. 1 04 Ib. 345 2 Sweet clover (second year) 20 150 53 376 3 Canadian field peas, oats, and rape .... 24 160 1 15 351 1 Evvard and Kennedy, Bull. 136. 2 3838 pounds of alfalfa cut from each acre. 3 2384 pounds of sweet clover cut from each acre. 162 Pork Production The pigs on the mixture of peas, oats, and rape made faster gains than did those on alfalfa and a larger number was grazed on a given area. The pigs on alfalfa, how- ever, made their gains with the expenditure of less grain. If the alfalfa plot also is credited with the nearly two tons of hay cut to the acre, as well as the smaller cost of growing the crop, it proves to be the more profitable.1 The results reported here for second-year sweet clover would indicate that this crop cannot be used profitably as a forage for pigs when the more standard crops are available. Although the first season's growth after seeding proved at the same station to be a good forage, it is such a vigorous grower that the stalks become woody and unpalatable very early in the second season. Good results have been reported for second-year sweet clover, however, when fall pigs are used and they are turned in early enough in the spring to keep down the rank woody growth. DWARF-ESSEX RAPE Rape is a quick-growing succulent annual, unsurpassed by crops of this class as a forage for pigs. The plant is unusually tender and succulent and is eaten with relish and no waste. Although not a legume, it ranks with alfalfa and the clovers as a cheap source of protein and a balancer of corn. Rape is a very heavy yielder and pos- sesses unusual carrying capacity. It may be heavily stocked and intensively grazed for a short period or it may be handled so that it will furnish grazing until freezing. Planted in the fall, rape has proved a valuable 1 For rent, cost of seeding, labor, alfalfa cost $10.75 an acre ; sweet clover, $9.20; and the mixture of peas, oats, and rape, $13.37. Choosing a Forage Crop 163 winter forage in the South. Although rape does best in a cool moist season, it stands next to alfalfa in its ability to withstand drought. It may be planted so as to supply forage any time during the season, al- though the earlier plantings yield heaviest. With timely rains, rape continues to renew itself throughout the summer if not pastured too closely. Alternating the pigs on different lots insures, for this reason, the best results. Rape mixes well when sown with Canadian field peas, oats, or clover. It is often seeded with oats, and will come on and furnish valuable succulence after the grain is harvested. If sown between the corn rows at the time of last cultivation, it will insure better results when hogging-down the corn. Rape may be sown broadcast or drilled in rows 24 to 30 inches apart. The latter method of seeding is usually to be preferred as it may be cultivated, it will yield heavier, and the pigs will de- stroy less by tramping. Pigs recently weaned should be turned on when the plants are 14 to 16 inches high ; with fall pigs, the growth should be, preferably, 16 to 18 inches high. Every year a few feeders report that their pigs refuse to eat rape, but at none of the stations of the country where experimental studies have been made of this forage have any results been obtained which would tend to support such a conclusion. Its tendency to cause sores and blisters on thin-skinned pigs is not considered serious. The trouble may be largely avoided by keeping the pigs out while rain or dew is on the plants. Pigs badly blistered have been successfully treated by washing or spraying with a disinfectant; then greasing with lard or vaseline, 164 Pork Production Early versus late rape and other forages. An experiment conducted during the summer of 1909 at the Iowa Station *• tested the relative merits of the following forage crops: early-sown rape; late-sown rape; a mixture of oats, clover, and rape; a mixture of Canadian field peas, oats, and rape; and blue-grass and timothy pasture. The rape in both lots was broad- casted, the early planting being seeded May 4th and the late July 5th. The mixtures in the other two lots were drilled May 4th. A full ration of ear-corn was fed all lots, supplemented during the last thirty days by the addition of 10 per cent of meat-meal. The results are shown in Table XLI. TABLE XLI. — EARLY VERSUS LATE-SOWN RAPE VERSUS FOR- AGE MIXTURES CONCEN- FOEAGE No. PIGS PER ACRE LENGTH OF PERIOD AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG TRATES EATEN FOR EACH 100 POUNDS PORK CRED- ITED 1 ACRE OF FORAGE l GAIN Early-sown rape 17 147 .81 326 371 Late-sown rape . . 19 104 1.36 371 195 Oats, clover, and rape 2 . . . . 17 147 .91 318 458 Canadian field peas, oats, and rape . . 17 147 .85 339 419 Blue-grass and tim- • othy pasture . . 14 165 .72 393 28 * Bull. 136. 2 Mixture of 48 pounds of oats, 8 pounds of red clover, and 2 pounds of rape sown to an acre. 8 Figured on the basis that 4 pounds of grain would have been required to produce 1 pound of gain under dry lot conditions. Choosing a Forage Crop 165 With those lots fed for approximately the same length of time, the mixture of oats, clover, and rape gave the best results. In this lot the gains were fastest, the amount of grain fed for each 100 pounds of gain made was least, and the amount of pork credited to one acre of forage greatest. Although the amount of grain re- quired to produce 100 pounds of gain was greater in the early rape lot than in the lot on oats, peas, and rape, the gains were faster. As measured by the amount of pork or concentrates credited to each acre of forage, the latter crop was more profitable. The blue-grass and timothy pasture gave returns very much less favorable than the other forages, due, no doubt, to the fact that this crop did not supply as much protein to balance the straight corn fed during most of the experiment. The value of a late planting of rape is well shown by these re- sults. The more rapid daily gains in this lot as compared with the early rape lot are probably to be explained by the larger size of the pigs and also by the fact that straight corn was fed for a shorter proportion of the time. In the forage experiments at the Iowa Station in 1911, rape alone proved slightly inferior to a mixture of oats, Ca- nadian field peas, and rape. (See Table XLIV, page 169.) Winter rape. That rape is deserving of consideration as a winter forage crop by the southern hog raiser was shown by experiments conducted at the Alabama Experiment Station by Gray, Summers, and Shook.1 Ten pounds of rape seed were sown in drills 18 inches apart September 19. The soil was very poor and sandy. Pigs of average quality, weighing 45 pounds, were turned in November 9, i Bull. 168. 166 Pork Production when the trial began. The experiment closed April 5, covering a period of 147 days. The results are shown in Table XLII. TABLE XLII. — WINTER RAPE VERSUS DRY LOT CONCENTRATES FED NUMBER PIGS AND AREA GRAZED AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCEN- TRATES FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN GRAIN AND PASTURE COST PER 100 LB. GAIN.1 pigs; a Ib. Ib. 2 corn-meal -f Dry lot 1 shorts, full feed. 5; .84 520 $6.88 2 corn-meal + Rape 1 shorts, \ full feed. 5; I .71 258 4.90 2 corn-meal -p Rape 1 shorts, \ full feed. 5; ! .54 165 4.13 In view of the fact that the pigs on rape received only one-half grain rations or less, the gains made in the forage lots were fairly good. The saving effected by rape in the amount of concentrates required for a unit of gain was such that its value in southern pork production would seem assured. COMBINATIONS I CANADIAN FIELD RAPE PEAS, OATS, CLOVER, As a rule, a mixture of two or more plants possessing similar requirements in temperature and soil give a heavier yield as a forage than any one of the crops grown 1 Corn 70 cents a bushel ; shorts at $30.00 a ton ; rape at $8.00 an acre. Choosing a Forage Crop 167 separately. Also, a more uniform supply of succulence may be provided by selecting for the combination crops which make most of their growth in successive periods of the summer. For these reasons, various mixtures of the above crops are commonly planted and success- fully used for forage purposes. In the latitude of the northern corn-belt and farther north, the Canadian field pea is a standard forage crop for pigs. It is a rapid-growing legume, occupying the same class as the alfalfa and the clovers in its ability to furnish protein. Five or six weeks after planting it is ready to use. It is a decided cool-weather crop and does best when planted as early in the spring as the ground can be worked, and should not be confused with the cowpea, which is extensively grown in the South. It is particularly sensitive to heat and wilts early in a dry hot summer. It should always be grown with oats, or some such crop, which will support the vines ; otherwise considerable loss will result from tramping and mildew. In the North the pigs are sometimes not turned in until the pods are well filled, although the more common prac- tice is to use it chiefly as a green crop by pasturing it after the growth is about 10 inches high. Forage mixtures for fall pigs. In the summer of 1910, the Iowa Station 1 fed four lots of fall pigs on different forage combinations. The forages tested were made up of a mixture of oats and rape in combination with red clover, hairy vetch, or Canadian field peas in the first three lots, while in the fourth, a mixture of oats and clover was alternately grazed with rape. i Bull. 136. 168 Pork Production The crops were seeded April 4 by drilling in the follow- ing proportions and quantities to the acre : Lot I, 48 pounds of oats, 8 pounds red clover, and 2 pounds rape ; lot II, 48 pounds of oats, 30 pounds vetch, and 2 pounds rape; lot III, 48 pounds oats, 90 pounds peas, and 6 pounds rape. The mixture of oats and clover for lot IV was drilled in rows 8 inches apart. The rape was drilled in rows 24 inches apart and given three cultivations. The experiment began May 26 and closed November 11. Each lot was fed a grain ration of ear-corn with about 7 per cent of tankage added. Full rations were fed during only the last 85 days of the trial. The results are shown in Table XLIII. TABLE XLIII. — A COMPARISON OF CLOVER, HAIRY VETCH, AND CANADIAN FIELD PEAS IN COMBINATION WITH OATS AND RAPE FOR FALL PIGS. CONCEN- FOBAGE NUMBER PIGS PER LENGTH OP AVERAGE DAILY GAIN TRATES EATEN FOR ACRE TEST PER PIG EACH 100 LB. GAIN days 16. Ib. I. Oats, clover, and rape 11 168 1.22 445 II. Oats, vetch, and rape 11 168 1.21 447 III. Oats, peas, and rape 11 168 1.31 414 IV. Oats and clover al- ternated with rape . . 13 168 1.17 460 All the pigs were extremely heavy at the close of the experiment. For this reason the amount of feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain was considerably greater than that previously shown necessary for spring pigs. Also, the pork credited to each acre of forage was less than that usually obtained with younger pigs and similar crops. Of these three forage mixtures, oats, vetch, and Choosing a Forage Crop 169 rape proved the least profitable. The authors stated that the vetch was of little value in the mixture. It came on and made good growth in July and August, but the pigs ate little of it. As the result of their observa- tions, they strongly advise against the use of hairy vetch as a hog pasture in Iowa. The returns in lot IV, in which oats and clover were alternated with rape, were dis- appointing. After the rape had been well eaten down early in the season, the pigs were changed to oats and clover. From late July until the end of the season, the pigs were on the rape again, as the oats and clover fur- nished practically no feed during this time. Oats versus other forages. In Table XLIV are shown the results of an experiment at the Iowa Station 1 in 1911. In this test a comparison was made of a mixture of oats, Canadian field peas, and rape with oats alone, and with rape alone. The pigs in all three lots were turned in June 13. At this date the oats in the oats-alone lot were just beginning to head. TABLE XLIV. — A COMPARISON OF OATS WITH OTHER FORAGES FOR SPRING PIGS CONCEN- FORAQB NUMBER OF PIGS PER ACRE LENGTH OF TEST AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG TRATES RE- QUIRED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib. Oats 30 90 .63 365 Rape . 43 160 1 07 385 Oats, Canadian field peas, and rape 31 160 1.16 370 Bull. 136. 170 Pork Production The experiment was continued for each forage lot as long as feed remained, the oats in the oats-alone lot being exhausted 70 days earlier than the forages in the other two. The pigs averaged 26 pounds when the experi- ment began and were given full rations of ear-corn with about 5 per cent of meat-meal. Because of the exceptional number of pigs carried on an acre of the rape, this forage proved to be the most profitable. This lot was pastured at the rate of 30 pigs an acre until September 11, when the number was increased to 60. Seven extra pigs were added to the lot on oats, peas, and rape for 30 days in the last part of the experi- ment. The oats alone proved to be a poor forage with this method of pasturing, although the volunteer growth supplied considerable green feed during the late summer. RYE One of the most valuable qualities of green rye as a forage crop is that it furnishes a supply of green succulent material during the seasons when the ordinary forage crops and pastures are of little or no value. The merit of the crop is its availability during the fall, winter, and spring, rather than in its large yielding or grazing capacity. The benefits to be derived from a patch of rye are per- haps expressed more largely in the increased health and thrift in the breeding herd and an increased milk-flow from the sows with pigs, than in the saving effected in the cost of producing gains when growing or fattening pigs for market. If planted early in the fall, rye will supply green feed, in an open winter, until late the next spring, if carefully grazed. If pastured lightly in the spring and the pigs not allowed to remain on it late, it Choosing a Forage Crop 171 will yield its normal harvest in grain. The pigs are often allowed to remain on the land and the mature crop pas- tured as ripe rye; or it may be pastured heavily in the spring and the land early prepared and sown to other forage crops. When broadcasted between the corn rows in the late summer, rye supplies valuable succulence for the shotes when "hogging-down" the corn, or for grazing the breeding stock in the late fall and early spring. Because of its very watery nature, green rye causes rather extreme looseness of the bowels, which, with young pigs, frequently develops into scours. Keep- ing the pigs out of the rye when it is wet and limiting the time they are allowed to graze will help in prevent- ing the trouble. Rye as a winter forage. The possibilities in the use of rye as a winter forage crop in those sections in which the winters are mild and open are well demonstrated by experimental studies made at the Kentucky Station.1 The results of a trial conducted during the winter of 1910-11 are shown in the table on the following page. This experiment began November 11 and closed April 8, covering a period of 147 days. The results in this test, as shown by the rate of gain and the grain required to produce a given gain, would indicate that rye may be of considerable value as a winter forage. Although young rye is fairly rich in protein, it would seem that some form of protein supplement, like tankage, should be fed for the most rapid or the most economical gains. The rye was covered with snow for a short part of the time in the winter. i Bull. 175. 172 Pork Production TABLE XLV. — WINTER RYE VERSUS DRY LOT FEEDING FORAGE GRAIN RATIONS FED NUMBER PIGS IN EACH LOT AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT OF PIGS AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCEN- TRATES RE- QUIRED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN to. 376 Rye 10 corn-meal + 1 tankage. Full feed 7 Ib. 48 Ib. 1.13 Rye Corn-meal alone Full feed 7 49 .85 480 Dry lot 10 corn-meal + 1 tankage. Full feed 8 47 1.03 399 "Hogging down" ripe rye. The following interesting comparison was made in an experiment conducted at the Iowa Station in 191 1.1 One plot of rye was "hogged down" by turning in the pigs when it was ripe and the stalks beginning to crinkle down, which was July 7. In the second lot a comparable area of green rye was grazed from September 22 to November 21. The pigs in the ripe rye averaged 69 pounds when turned in, while those on the green rye averaged 36 pounds. The results are condensed in Table XLVI. The rye in lot I was very heavy and estimated to yield 41 bushels to the acre. Although the rye grain when properly supplemented is a good feed, the results of this test would indicate that the practice of "hogging down" the ripened crop is unprofitable. The authors of the experiment stated it would have been much more Bull 136. Choosing a Forage Crop 173 profitable to have harvested and sold the rye on the market than to have "hogged" it down. No corn was fed in this lot, but enough meat-meal was given to insure a balanced ration with the rye. The results of trials conducted the next summer at the same station, when corn was also fed to the pigs, again showed the practice to be an unprofitable one. TABLE XLVI. — "HOGGING DOWN" RIPE RYE VERSUS GREEN RYE FORAGE CONCENTRATES FED NUMBER OP PIGS PER ACRE LENGTH OP TEST AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PT« CENTRATE8 EATEN POR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days . lb. lb. Ripe rye .45 lb. meat- meal daily each pig 22 36 .269 169 (meat m.) Green rye Ear corn-j- TS meat-meal f full feed 35 60 .810 324 Somewhat better results were secured from "hogging down" ripe rye by the Missouri Station l as indicated in the table below, which shows the results of five succes- sive years of experiment. The pigs were of average grade and weighed 60 to 90 pounds when the trials began. In addition to the rye, they received a hand-fed ration composed of 6 parts corn to 1 of linseed-oil meal in quan- tities sufficient to maintain an approximate daily gain of | pound for each pig. 1 Bull. 110. 174 Pork Production TABLE XLVII. — RESULTS FROM "HOGGING DOWN" RIPE RYE YEAR NUMBER DATS PASTURED NUMBER PIGS PER ACRE TOTAL GAIN PER ACRE TOTAL CON- CENTRATES (Corn + Un- seed M.) FED PER ACRE CON- CENTRATES FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Ib. Ib. Ib. 1908 . 42 16 360 544 151 1909 . 42 16 318 544 171 1910 . 57 8 344 456 133 1911 . 71 12 539 1988 368 1912 . 36 8 179 288 160 Average 49.6 12 348 764 196 BLUE-GRASS : TIMOTHY Although blue-grass has its largest use as a pasture for cattle or horses on the average farm, it may be employed profitably for the pigs during the seasons when the usual forage crops are not available. In the corn-belt especially, it has proved of large value as an adjunct to corn on those farms on which the production of forage crops and the feeding of balanced rations have been given little or no consideration. It is particularly valuable in the spring and fall as a reserve, or addition, to the regular forage crops. It may be grown on land not suitable for the production of other forage crops, it is permanent, cheap, and will supply green feed for a long grazing period. The yield and quality of blue-grass, like that of any other forage crop, varies widely with the kind of soil on which it is grown, the favorableness of the season, and the man- agement given it. Timothy has some value as a forage crop, but its supply of protein is below that furnished by either blue-grass or rye. Choosing a Forage Crop 175 Blue-grass and timothy versus clover and alfalfa. In Table XLVIII are given the results of an experiment conducted at the Iowa Station l in 1909 in which a pas- ture of blue-grass and timothy was compared with alfalfa in one case and clover in another. The pigs were of spring farrow and weighed between 33 and 34 pounds on June 4th when the test began. In addition to the forage, the pigs of each lot were given a full feed of ear- corn, supplemented during the last 39 days of the trial by the addition of 10 per cent of meat-meal. The experi- ment covered a period of 165 days, practically the entire time from weaning to marketing. TABLE XLVIII. — BLUE-GRASS AND TIMOTHY VERSUS CLOVER AND ALFALFA FORAGE AVERAGE NUMBER PIGS PER ACRE AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CON- CENTRATES TO PRODUCE 100 LB. GAIN CON- CENTRATES SAVED BY ONE ACRE FORAGE 2 PORK AC- CREDITED ONE ACRE FORAGE 2 Ib. Ib. Ib. #>. Ib. Blue-grass and timothy . 13.9 .72 393.32 111.12 27.78 Alfalfa . . . 13.9 .99 367.23 746.40 186.60 Clover . . . 13.9 1.07 251.56 1195.12 298.78 Clover 13.9 1.07 354.55 1120.52 280.13 Considering that straight corn was fed in all lots except for the last 39 days, the gains made were exceptionally good. The amount of pork credited to each acre of forage would undoubtedly have been greater if a small 1 Bull. 136. 2 Figured on the basis that 4 pounds of concentrates would have been required for each pound of gain in dry lot feeding. 176 Pork Production quantity of meat-meal had been fed earlier in the test. The relative merits of the crops is well shown by the rates of gain and the concentrates required to produce 100 pounds of gain. The superiority of the legumes, clover and alfalfa, over the blue-grass and timothy is very marked. Clover gave slightly better results in this experiment than did alfalfa, although the authors of the bulletin, as the result of other studies, rank it below alfalfa in value. The uniformity of the results from the two lots on clover testifies to the care exercised in mak- ing the different lots comparable. In Table XLIX are shown the results secured from feeding spring pigs on blue-grass pasture at the Missouri Station.1 In these tests enough of a grain ration consist- ing of 6 parts corn and 1 part linseed-oil meal was fed to secure a gain of approximately J pound daily. TABLE XLIX. — RESULTS FROM PASTURING BLUE-GRASS YEAR NUMBER DAYS PASTURED AVERAGE NUMBER PIGS PER ACRE TOTAL GAIN PER ACRE TOTAL CON- CENTRATES FED PER ACRE CONCEN- TRATES FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Ib. Ib. Ib. 1908 144 14 1400 7164 510 1909 144 12 1282 5612 430 1910 200 12 2112 8792 420 1911 196 11.34 1985 9323 470 1912 . 145 12 1445 6070 440 Average . . 165 12 1645 7392 450 These pigs weighed approximately 200 pounds on the average at the close of the grazing seasons. A cost of 1 Bull. 110. Choosing a Forage Crop 177 450 pounds of grain for each 100 pounds of gain may, therefore, be considered as fairly satisfactory. Although timothy is not a valuable forage crop for pigs, it is sometimes profitable to make use of it for this purpose. It is very succulent and palatable, but low in its content of protein. It supplies considerably less protein in proportion to its carbohydrates than does either rye or blue-grass. As shown by experiments con- ducted at the Iowa Station 1 in 1906, the feeding of pigs on timothy gave fairly satisfactory results when compared with dry lot feeding. In Table L are given the averages for four lots on timothy and for comparable lots fed in the dry yard. The pigs in both the dry and forage lots were fed balanced rations. TABLE L. — TIMOTHY VERSUS DRY LOT FEEDING (Av. 4 Exps.) NUMBER AVERAGE AVERAGE CONCEN- PORK PIGS GRAZED TO 1 ACRE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG DAILY GAIN PER PIG EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN CREDITED 1 ACRE FORAGE Ib. Ib. Ib. Ib. Dry lot . . . — 59 .938 461 — Timothy . . 11 57 1.240 406 197 SORGHUM — CANE Sorghum is used more or less extensively as a forage for swine in the southern part of the corn-belt and farther south and in the semi-arid regions of the Southwest. Its chief merit is its ability to furnish a heavy tonnage of succulent feed in a dry hot season. It should be pas- 1 Bull. 91. 178 Pork Production tured ordinarily while the plant is young and tender, or when one to two feet tall, although it is sometimes allowed nearly to mature before turning in. Results of feeding trials conducted at the Alabama Experiment Station,1 however, showed that the latter method did not give prof- itable returns for the crop. The following tabulated re- sults were secured at the Missouri Experiment Station 2 when pastured early. The plants were one to two feet high when the experiments began. The pigs were fed balanced rations and were turned in when weighing from 60 to 90 pounds each. « TABLE LI. — RESULTS FROM PASTURING SORGHUM YEAR NUMBER DAYS PASTURED NUMBER HOGS PER ACRE TOTAL GAIN PER ACRE TOTAL CON- CENTRATES FED PER ACRE CONCEN- TRATES FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN 1910 .... 1912 .... 105 68 14 16 Ib. 1412. 869.3 Ib. 6584 3112 Ib. 460 350 Average . . . 86.5 15 1140.6 4848 405 The chief fault of this crop as a forage is its coarseness and its carbonaceous nature. It is more suitable for cattle or sheep than it is for pigs. SOYBEANS Although primarily a southern crop, soybeans are grown very successfully as far north as the corn-belt. When conditions are favorable to good yields, it is of value as a forage crop for pigs. When grown on inocu- 1 Bull. 143. 2 Bull. 110. Choosing a Forage Crop 179 lated land it is a good soil builder, and its richness in protein insures excellent results when foraged by pigs fed corn. Being particularly a hot weather crop, it is usually available in the late summer and fall. In the South it will furnish considerable valuable forage and much nitrogen for the soil when grown as a second crop following grain. It may be pastured as a green forage by turning in before the pods begin to form, or as a seed crop by keeping the pigs off until the leaves begin to turn and the seed to mature. The stiff woody nature of the growth of most varieties would suggest that it could be used more profitably for its seed than for its leaves. If the seeds are allowed to mature, one acre of good beans will furnish enough protein for grazing shotes to balance four acres of 50-bushel corn. The bean itself contains practically as much protein as linseed-oil meal. Its value as a supplement to corn has encouraged the practice of planting it with the corn which is to be "hogged down." In seasons of sufficient rainfall, the growth of beans is thought to have little effect on the yield of corn. Soybeans as a forage crop, however, has certain limi- tations. It does not provide grazing through a long period. When foraged chiefly as a seed crop, its use is limited to the fall and early winter ; when used as a green forage, it is not available until quite late in the summer. Also, soybeans tend to produce soft pork. When pigs grazing the mature beans are fed little or no additional grain, as is commonly the practice in the South, the carcasses will lack the firmness to escape dockage by the packer. When followed by a month or more of corn feeding, however, the effects are not noticeable with pigs of the lard type. 180 Pork Production Limited versus full feeding on soybeans. At the Alabama Experiment Station 1 the feeding value of soybeans as a forage crop was studied in experiments covering three seasons. The results of these trials, averaged, are shown in Table LII. The pigs were in growthy condition weighing 40 to 45 pounds at the be- ginning of the grazing periods, and possessed some im- proved blood of the common lard breeds. In each year the pigs were turned in about three or four weeks before the beans themselves were ready to use, or about one week after full bloom. The object was to begin grazing early enough so that the leaves would not be lost, yet late enough to permit most of the pods to fill. To handle the crop successfully in this way, the authors cautioned against heavy stocking at first. TABLE LII. — SOYBEAN FORAGE FOR PIGS (Average of 3 years) GRAIN FED RATE OF GRAZING AVERAGE NUMBER DAYS GRAZED AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CORN FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN GRAIN + PASTURE COST OF 100 LB. GAIN2 Dry lot Corn-meal Ib. .375 Ib. 609 $7.61 Soybeans Corn-meal I full feed 10 pigs 1 acre 43 1.102 68 2.59 Soybeans Corn-meal I full feed 10 pigs 1 acre 48 1.006 138 3.36 Soybeans Corn-meal £ full feed 10 pigs 1 acre 62 1.329 175 3.17 This is a demonstration in the possibilities of economical pork-production in the South. The value of this crop 1 Bull. 154. 2 Corn at 70 cents a bushel ; pasture at $8.00 an acre. Choosing a Forage Crop 181 not only as a soil builder, but as a furnisher of protein to balance corn, is strikingly shown when the results of dry lot feeding are compared with those from the forage lots. There may be more economical methods of balanc- ing corn in the South, but that this is one of them seems clear. In the corn-belt, pigs foraging the mature soy- beans ordinarily should receive a full ration of corn, for otherwise the pigs will obtain an excess of protein in their diet. The advisability of limiting the grain fed when pigs are on forage in general is discussed in Chapter IX. Soybeans versus rape. The value of soybeans when used as a green forage crop for 45-pound pigs, when compared with rape, is suggested by the results of an experiment conducted at the Ohio Station.1 The pigs were turned in on the forage crops July 15 when the plants were about ten inches high and remained 77 days, or until November 10. The results from these lots are shown in the following table : TABLE LIII. — SOYBEAN FORAGE VERSUS RAPE FORAGE NUMBER PIGS AND AREA GRAZED AVERAGE GRAIN FED DAILY PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIQ CON- CENTRATES FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN PORK ACCREDITED TO ONE ACRE FORAGE Soybeans . . Ib. 6 pigs, i acre Ib. 2.43 Ib. .85 Ib. 285 Ib. 472.4 Rape . . . 6 pigs, | acre 1.79 .80 224 666.8 Bull. 242, 182 Pork Production The superiority of rape when the two crops are handled under these conditions seems evident from the above results. At the Missouri Station,1 records were kept of the returns in pork obtained from the Medium Yellow variety of soybeans during four seasons. The pigs were turned in after the pods were well formed and fed straight corn in quantities equal to three-fourths of a full feed. The results are shown in Table LIV. TABLE LIV. — RESULTS FROM SOYBEAN FORAGE YEAR NUMBER DAYS PASTURED AVERAGK NUMBER PIGS PER ACRE TOTAL GAIN PER ACRE TOTAL CORN FED PER ACRE CORN FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN 1909 .... 33 10 Z&. 311 Ib. 1560 Ib. 503 1910 .... 42 12 298 588 197 1911 .... 35 9.7 287.3 672 230 1912 .... 16 26. 152 416 273 Average . . . 31 14.4 262 809 301 These results are not favorable to the soybeans when grown and handled under these conditions. The un- satisfactory returns obtained from an acre were explained by the authors as being due largely to the difficulty of securing a good stand. They recommend for best results that the land be inoculated before the beans are sown. COWPEAS Much of what has been written concerning soybeans as a forage crop will apply to the cowpea, particularly i Bull. 110. Choosing a Forage Crop 183 as regards its value as a soil-builder, its richness in pro- tein as a feed, and its general adaptability to southern conditions. Cowpeas are considered more strictly a hay or forage crop, while soybeans are usually looked on more as a seed crop. Any locality which can grow cowpeas successfully has a valuable forage crop for pigs during the late summer and fall. Because of its nitrog- enous nature, pigs fed corn on cowpea forage require no additional feed. Cowpeas versus dry lot. At the Alabama Station1 three lots of pigs were pas- tured on cowpeas and one was fed in the dry lot. In each forage lot two plantings of peas were provided, one early and the second a month later. The peas were practically mature when the pigs were turned in. The pigs were of normal quality and weighed an average of 53 pounds when the test began, August 12. The experi- ment covered a period of 60 days and ceased November 5. The results are shown in the table on the following page. The pigs on forage in this experiment made faster gains than did those in the dry lot and there was a saving of 367 pounds of grain in the production of 100 pounds of gain as a result of the forage eaten. But the area of forage grazed was so large in each lot that the charge of $8.00 an acre was sufficient to make the cost of gains, in dollars and cents, greater than in the dry lot. Although the cost of gain is but one of the factors which must be considered in determining the actual profit or loss, it is doubtful whether a yield sufficient only to graze but little more than two pigs to the acre for 60 days would be profitable. The popularity of cowpeas i Bull. 168. 184 Pork Production as a forage crop in many states would suggest that better yields are usually secured than were obtained for this experiment. TABLE LV. — COWPEAS VERSUS DRY LOT TOTAL FORAGE GRAIN FED NUMBER PIGS AND AREA GRAZED AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG GRAIN FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN PASTURE AND GRAIN COST OF 100 LB. GAIN* pigs Ib. Ib. Dry lot 9 corn-hl tankage Full feed 5 pigs .54 540 $7.16 Cowpeas 9 corn-f-1 tankage 5 pigs i full feed 2£ acres .97 159 8.35 Cowpeas 4 corn+1 shorts 5 pigs \ full feed 1\ acres .94 188 8.96 Cowpeas Corn alone 5 pigs \ full feed 2| acres .90 173 8.80 In Table LVI are shown the results at the Missouri Station 2 from grazing pigs on the Whippoorwill variety of cowpeas during five different seasons. These pigs were fed rations of straight corn at the rate of about three-fourths of a full feed. From 1 to Ij bushels of seed were drilled to the acre. Part of the peas were drilled solid and part in rows 34 inches apart. The dates on which the pigs were turned in during the different years were as follows, in order, September 23, August 28, September 13, September 23, and Septem- ber 21. In 1911 the season was very late and the peas were pastured too early for best results. The crop of 1 Corn at 70 cents a bushel ; shorts at $36.00 a ton ; tankage at $40.00 a ton ; and pasture at $8.00 an acre. 2 Bull. 110. Choosing a Forage Crop 185 1912 was badly injured by an early frost. The small returns in these two years are, therefore, the result of inferior yields. In only two of the five years were the pork returns satisfactory. TABLE LVI. — RESULTS FROM PASTURING COWPEAS YEAR NUMBER DAYS PASTURED AVERAGE NUMBER PIGS PER ACRE TOTAL GAIN PER ACRE TOTAL CORN FED PER ACRE CORN FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Ib. Ib. Ib. 1908 .... 33 14 756 2200 330 1909 .... 32 12 502 1270 253 1910 .... 42 12 176 784 445 1911 .... 25 13.5 171.2 504 283 1912 .... 22 12 54.6 264 482 Average . . . 32.8 12.7 331.9 1004.5 358 PEANUTS; VELVET BEAN; CHUFAS The peanut gives excellent results when the under- ground seeds or nuts are foraged by pigs. It is a legume adapted to the South, rich in nitrogenous matter, and of unusual value in improving the soil for subsequent crops. The nuts themselves are very rich in oil as well as pro- tein. When the pigs are allowed to eat the nuts without additional feed, the pork produced is soft and of inferior quality. When fed corn, rice by-products, or other carbonaceous feeds, however, the effect is not particu- larly noticeable. Also, if pigs which have been fed exclu- sively on peanuts are subsequently given a month or more of corn feeding, sufficient firmness of the carcass would seem to be assured. When grown for the purpose of improving the soil and to furnish a reliable yield of pro- 186 Pork Production tein feed for the pigs to harvest themselves, peanuts appear to be one of the most valuable crops for produc- ing pork economically in the South. Peanut forage versus dry lot. In Table LVII are presented the average results of three years' experimental work done at the Alabama Experiment Station.1 The peanuts were grown on poor sandy soil. Two of the three crops were below 40 per cent of an average yield. The pigs were turned in on September 21, September 26, and October 11, respec- tively, and were grazed an average of 53 days. A mix- ture of coal, lime, and salt was fed the pigs in both the peanut and dry lots. TABLE LVII. — PEANUT PASTURE VERSUS DRY LOT (Average of 3 years) GRAIN RATIONS FED TOTAL PIGS EACH LOT Av. INI- TIAL WT. PER PIG Av. DAILY GAIN PER PIG Av. CORN FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN CORN SAVED BY 1 ACRE PEANUTS Ib. Ib. Ib. Dry lot Corn Full feed 15 73 .69 611 Peanut Corn pasture 1 full feed 32 81 1.01 148 1028 This is a very good showing for peanuts, especially when one remembers that succeeding crops, especially cotton, are greatly benefited. The velvet bean is another legume especially adapted to the Gulf States. The following results of a feeding trial 1 Bull, 143. Choosing a Forage Crop 187 conducted at the Alabama Station l suggest that a profit- able method of utilizing this crop is to allow the pigs to do the harvesting. In this experiment the beans were planted in with corn, and the pigs turned in after the corn had been shucked. Because of continual drought throughout the season, the yield of cowpeas was very disappointing. The pigs averaged 62 pounds when the test began October 4, which lasted 72 days, or until December 15. TABLE LVIII. — VELVET BEAN VERSUS COWPEA FORAGE FORAGE GRAIN RATIONS FED NUMBER PIGS AND AREA GRAZED AVERAGE DAILY * GAIN PER PIG CONCEN- TRATES FED FOR EACH * 100 LB. GAIN PASTURE * AND GRAIN COST OF 100 LB. GAIN Dry lot 9 corn +1 tankage Full feed pigs : acres 5 Ib. .84 Z6. 400 $5.30 Cowpeas 9 corn +1 tankage £ full feed 5 1.1 .76 208 9.56 Velvet bean 9 corn +1 tankage 1 full feed 5 1.9 1.23 170 5.29 Because of the protein nature of both the cowpea and velvet bean forages, it is doubtful whether a protein supplement is necessary, especially when only a half ration of corn is fed. The velvet bean, nevertheless, made an excellent showing in this experiment, especially when the area grazed is credited with the corn as well as the pork produced. When the mature velvet bean 1 Bull. 168. 2 Corn at 70 cents a bushel ; tankage at $40.00 a ton ; forage at $8.00 an acre. 188 Pork Production seed is fed, recent investigations indicate that it is not eaten with sufficient relish to insure profitable gains. In the following table is presented a summary of average results obtained with different forage crops tested at the Alabama Experiment Station. The experiments were conducted in 1905-06, 1906-07, and 1907-08. TABLE LIX. — SUMMARY OF AVERAGE RESULTS WITH DIFFER- ENT FORAGE CROPS AT THE ALABAMA EXPERIMENT STATION RATIONS FED TOTAL NUMBER PIGS AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER Pia FEED TO PRODUCE EACH 100 LB. GAIN Concentrates Pasture Area Corn alone . . 15 Ib. .69 Ib. 611 acre Corn1 Peanut pasture 32 1.01 183 .44 Corn f,1 Cottonseed meal f , Peanut pasture 4 1.00 158 .08 Corn Sorghum pas- ture . . . 6 .37 437 .57 Corn 1, cotton- seed meal f,2 Sorghum pas- ture . . . 11 .46 388 .26 Corn Chuf a pasture 3 .72 305 .41 Corn Soybean pasture 6 1.02 158 .28 Corn 1, cotton- seed meal £ Sorghum soiled 5 .75 271 .13 1 These lots are not comparable. 2 Cottonseed meal is dangerous when fed for a longer period than a month. Choosing a Forage Crop 189 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FORAGE CROP PLANTINGS For every farm there is probably a succession or rotation of forage crops which is more suitable and valuable than any other. It should be the purpose of every hog-raiser to determine this. With the idea of supplementing the records of experimental studies, there are given in the following tables the forage crops which have been recommended in the different states as being best adapted to their respective conditions, together with other useful information regarding rate of seeding, time and rate of pasturing. TABLE LX. — FORAGE CROPS FOR INDIANA J CROPS APPROXIMATE DATE OF SOWING RATE OP SOWING PER ACRE APPROXIMATE TIME OP PASTURING NUMBER OP 100-LB. PIGS PER ACRE SERIES I Oats . . . Rape . . . Rape . . . Clover, red or mam- moth . . Cowpeas or soybeans. Rye . . . Mar. 20-Apr. 10 Apr. 1-15 Apr. 15-May 1 Mar. 25-Apr. 15 May 20- June 10 Aug. or Sept. 2-3 bu. 2-6 Ib. 2-6 Ib. i to Hbu. 1 to H bu. May 1-June 1 May 25-July 1 June 25-July 25 July 15-Sept. 1 Aug. 25-Oct. 15 Oct. 1 to freezing 8-12 12-20 12-15 8-10 12-18 10-15 SERIES II Rye . . . Rape . . . Rape . . . Rape . . . Clover . . Cowpeas Rye . . . Aug. or Sept. Apr. 1-10 Apr. 20-30 Apr. 1-10 Mar. 25-Apr. 10 May 20-30 August 1 to H bu. 2-6 Ib. 2-6 Ib. 2-6 Ib. £ to H bu. 1 to 1 % bu. Apr. 1-May 15 May 15- June 15 June 15- July 15 July 10-Aug. 1 July 15-Sept. 1 Aug. 20-Oct. 10 Oct. 1 to freezing 8-10 12-20 12-20 12-20 8-10 12-18 SERIES III Rape and oats . . Rape . . . Rape . . . Apr. 1-10 Apr. 20-May 1 Alternate between previous sowings 2-4 Ib. rape 1£ bu. oats 2-6 Ib. 2-6 Ib. May 15-June 15 June 10- July 15 July 15-Nov. 15 12-20 12-20 12-15 1 Fisher and King : Circ. 35, Ind. Exp. Sta. 190 Pork Production TABLE LXI. — FORAGE CROPS FOR MISSOURI l CROPS APPROXIMATE DATE OP SOWING MONTH AVAILABLE FOR PASTURE NUMBER OF HOGS PER ACRE Blue-grass .... April 6- 8 Rye August and September ** 8-12 Wheat September and October » 6-10 Blue-grass and white clover .... May 6-10 Clover Previous spring ii 8-12 Oats and rape. . . April 1-10 •• 15-20 Alfalfa Not less than 1 year old " 15-20 Timothy .... Previous year " 8-12 Clover Previous year June 8-12 Alfalfa Not less than 1 year old 15-20 Rape and oats . . April 15-30 " 20-25 Blue-grass and white clover .... " 8-10 Clover and timothy . Old, or spring sown July 8-12 Alfalfa 1 year old ** 15-20 Rape May 15— June 1 it 12-15 Sorghum .... April 15-May 1 " • 20-25 Alfalfa 1 year old or over August 12-15 Clover Spring sown 8-12 Rape April 1—10, grazed down once •• 12-15 Sorghum .... June 1-10 " 20-25 Alfalfa . - . . . Previous year Septembe 15-20 Rape July, or April 15-30, grazed down once " 20-25 Blue-grass and white clover .... 11 6-8 Cowpeas .... June 15 " 12-20 Sorghum .... July 1 •• 20-25 Blue-grass and white clover .... October 5-7 Timothy and clover. Spring «< 8-10 Alfalfa 1 year old " 12-15 Cowpeas .... July in corn " 12-15 Rye August and September " 8-10 Wheat September " 6-8 Blue-grass .... November 6-8 Rye and crimson clover .... August and September 11 8-10 Rape July and August, or second growth " 12-15 Clover Spring " 10 Alfalfa " 10-12 Rye August and September December, January, February and March Wheat September and October " Blue-grass .... King : Vol. 7, No. 5 ; Mo. State Bd. Agr. Choosing a Forage Crop 191 As the result of the experimental studies at the Mis- souri Experiment Station, Mumford and Weaver recom- mended the following rotation as being ideal for Missouri conditions. TABLE LXII. — FORAGE ROTATION FOR MISSOURI YEAR FIELD No. 1 FIELD No. 2 FIELD No. 3 FIELD No. 4 FIELD No. 5 First . . Blue-grass Rape, oats, and clover Clover Sorghum Corn and cowpeas Rape, oats, and clover Second . Clover Sorghum Corn and cowpeas Third . " Sorghum Corn and cowpeas Rape, oats, and clover Clover Fourth . Corn and cowpeas Rape, oats and clover Clover Sorghum TABLE LXIII. — FOUR-YEAR FORAGE ROTATIONS FOR NORTH DAKOTA 2 YEAR LOT I LOT II LOT HI LOT IV 1st First Peas Peas Grain Clover Peas Grain Clover Peas Third Grain Clover Peas Peas Fourth ... . . Clover Peas Peas Grain 2d First Brome Rape Peas Corn Second Brome Peas Corn Rape Third Brome Corn Rape Peas Fourth Corn Rape Peas Brome 1 Mumford and Weaver: Bull. 110, Mo. Exp. Sta. 2 Richards : N. Dak. Exp. Sta. Bull. 83. 192 Pork Production TABLE LXIV. — PASTURE CROPS FOR SUB-HUMID DISTRICTS l CROPS APPROXIMATE DATE OP SOWING APPROXIMATE TIME OF PASTURING NUMBER HOGS PER ACRE Winter wheat . . Early in September Oct. 15-Nov. 15, 5-8 Mar. 15-June 1 Clover .... April, previous year April 10-Dec. 1 8-15 Alfalfa .... A previous year April 15-Nov. 15 8-15 Kale or rape . . April and May June 15- Dec. 1 8-15 Rape and clover . May 1 July 10-Nov. 15 6-14 Winter wheat . . Early in May June 1-Nov. 15 6-15 Wheat in corn July 15-20 Sept. 15-Nov. 15 6-12 Stubble field . . Aug. 25-April 1 TABLE LXV. — FORAGE CROPS FOR NORTH CAROLINA 2 CROPS APPROXIMATE DATE op SOWING DATE OF SOWING PER ACRE APPROXIMATE TIME OF PASTURING Rye Aug. 1-Dec. 1 Ubu. Oct. 1-Apr. 20 Rye and crimson Ibu. clover .... Aug. 1-Oct. 1 15 Ib. Nov. 15-Apr. 25 Oats Sept. 10-Nov. 15 U-2bu. Nov. 1-July 15 Wheat Sept. 15-Dec. 1 Ubu. Nov. 30-July 15 Oats and vetch . . Aug. 10-Oct. 1 Ubu. £bu. Nov. 15-Apr. 20 New Era cowpeas . May 15-July 15 1 bu. July 10-Oct. 15 Soybeans .... May 15-July 15 Ibu. July 15-Oct. 15 Carolina field peas 1 bu. Apr. 15-June 15 and oats .... Feb. 15-Mar. 1 1 bu. Alfalfa Sept. 1-Oct. 15 30 Ib. May 20-Sept. 20 Bermuda grass . . Mar. 15-May 15 Root-stocks June 1-Aug. 15 Spanish peanuts . . May 15-July 15 2 bu. in hills Sept. 1-Dec. 15 Sweet potatoes . . May 1-July 1 10,000 plants per Sept. 15-Dec. 1 acre Mangels .... Apr. 20-May 15 4-5 Ib. Oct. 15-Jan. 1 Chufas Apr. 1-May 10 2bu. Sept. 15-Jan. 1 Artichokes .... Nov. 1-Feb. 20 3-5 bu. Nov. 1-Mar. 1 Burr clover . . . Sept. 1-Oct. 1 20 Ib. cleaned 40 Ib. burr Dec. 1-Mar. 1 Red clover .... Sept. 10-Oct. 15 15 Ib. Apr. 1-June 15 Japan clover . . . Apr. 1-May 15 25 Ib. June 1-Sept. 15 White clover . . . Sept. 1-Oct. 1 5-8 Ib. Dec. 15-June 1 Rape . . . Aug. 15-May 1 6 Ib. 8-10 weeks from seeding 1 Hunter : Farmers' Bull. 599, U. S. Dept. Agr, 2 Curtis : Bull. 207, N. C. Exp. Sta. Choosing a Forage Crop 193 TABLE LXVI. — SUCCESSION OF FORAGE CROPS FOR ALABAMA l CROPS APPROXIMATE DATE OP SOWING RATE op SOWING PER ACRE NUMBER DATS AFTER PLANT- ING UNTIL READY TO GRAZE FALL PLANT- INGS: Alfalfa . . Sept. 1-Oct. 15 15-25 Ib. 90-120 Burr clover Sept. 1-Oct. 1 15-20 Ib. cleaned 90-120 36 Ib. in burr Oats . . . Sept. 1-Nov. 1 li to 3 bu. 90-120 Rape . . . Sept. 20-Oct. 15 4-6 Ib. drilled 60-75 5-10 Ib. broadcast Rye . . . Sept. 1-Nov. 1 U -2 bu. 90-120 Vetch . . Sept. 1-Oct. 15 1 bu. 90-120 SPRING PLANT- INGS: Alfalfa . . Feb. 25-April 1 15-25 Ib. 75-90 Chufas . . Mar. 15- June 1 3-4 pks. 120-150 ? bu. drilled Cowpeas May 1-July 10 1^ bu. broadcast 75-90 Japan clover Mar. 1-Mar. 15 24 Ib. 60-75 Oats . . . Feb. 1-Mar. 20 l?-3 bu. 75-90 Peanuts . . May 1-June 30 1-2 bu. unhulled 90-120 4-6 Ib. drilled Rape . . . Mar. 1-31 9-10 Ib. broadcast 60-75 Sorghum Apr. 1-June 30 U-2 bu. 60-90 \ bu. drilled Soybeans . Apr. 1-June 30 \\ bu. broadcast 90-120 1 Gray, Duggar, and Ridgway : Bull. 143, Ala. Exp. Sta. CHAPTER IX METHODS OF FEEDING ON FORAGE THE question whether pigs fed corn or other home- grown grains when on green forage should receive in addition a nitrogenous supplement like tankage, shorts, or linseed-oil meal, is one which demands the attention of nearly all hog-raisers. Three important factors affect this problem and should be considered before a decision is reached. These are : first, the composition of the forage, particularly as regards its supply of protein; second, the age of the pigs; and third, whether a full or a limited grain ration is fed. In addition, the price of these supplements must be considered in every case. THE COMPOSITION OF FORAGE CROPS The ability of a forage successfully to balance a straight grain ration depends on its richness in protein and the quantity of forage eaten by the pigs. That some forage crops contain more protein than others, and that the same forage varies widely at different states of its growth, are shown by the analysis presented in Table LXVII. It is generally understood that the legumes — alfalfa, clovers, soybeans, and cowpeas — are considerably richer as a class in protein, in proportion to the amount of carbohydrates, than are the non-legumes like rape, green rye, blue-grass. An examination of this table, however, will fail to show any great difference, especially 194 Methods of Feeding on Forage 195 when the analyses are made at the stages of growth when eaten by the pigs. Rape is shown here to contain a larger proportion of protein to carbohydrates than does medium red clover, and as much as alfalfa. Blue-grass, green rye, oats, and green wheat when grazed while young and before jointing would appear to be in the same class as rape. With advancing maturity, however, these crops, excepting rape, rapidly lose their protein nature and be- come as fattening in their proportions as corn. The younger the pig, other things being equal, the more protein does his system require. A forage supplying sufficient protein to balance corn for fall pigs weighing more than 100 pounds might require the addition of some supplement for spring pigs weighing less than 100 pounds. For the same reason, pigs farrowed in the spring require less protein in the late summer than early in the summer. When pigs are given a full ration of corn on forage, they eat less forage both absolutely and relatively than when the grain ration is limited to a three-fourths or a half ration. The more intensive the grain feeding, therefore, the greater the necessity of adding some meat- meal, middlings, and the like, to the grain fed. When young pigs are fed only a half grain ration on alfalfa, it is very doubtful whether a supplement is warranted; but when given a full feed of grain on alfalfa, a protein supplement might be profitable. EXPERIMENTAL FEEDING TRIALS A consideration of practical feeding tests, however, is necessary properly to supplement our limited knowl- edge of the composition of the different forage crops and the other factors involved. The advisability of giving 196 Pork Production "S'SS <» ro> a oPufc.aj *- 5 £:" 'M ,5" M OOCiOOGO co'o 1> O l> POrHTH»OOtN.COCOOOO5iOcOi-iO iO CO »O coco co coc5O5Oocqoqco-^ o CD TJH O5O O t^COOOOO'-HCOOO O Tfi CO i-J(N O COOJO5(NO5O>l>TtJOO --H GO •* iO»O CO C^(M'^HTj5cO'Oi-HTHi-i T-H rj5 CO (NO 00 CO(MT(<O5OiOeo (X) (N -^ TtHco GO »ooioqqqqqi> oq -^ S OOi iO t^t^COGOOi-H^TjHCO Oi iO Tj5 iOO CO GO»-iOC^TfH^-iOCOrH t^ CO CO GO CO •* GO T^ GO COGOOOGO1>I>.COOSOO GO GO GO II 6S PH ^ * ' Ji-s i o 2 S^.2 h O O PQ JS^a^Drdwj |l|||I|a ...-9-S aa -- c' »M ° ^ S ^ 1 £ i- 1 O = - O OPn PH Q Q Methods of Feeding on Forage 197 iO T5 »>= > d k^ O k> O rH rH HH HH l> rH t^ 00 00 t^ 00 ' O Tt< CD O IO 00 >O 10 co coTjHco'od oi co c-OOO5 OOCO rf-^rHiO CO i-5 r-5 OOiOOJCDO GO 00 OCOrHOirH T^O CDCD O >O OrHCOOt^- TfCO lOTflrHOSrH OJ lO CO^COC^O ss §>O rH IO >O O 35 00 00 00 00 rH a 43 s g-a-e ^ s rH a? .3 . o .9 i|o.S|^5a.« -5 " HN ^H 2 r-a ls'lll'I = -s.a.s f^>P4O>OrTHr^ OOO rH •So I «.9 O O I »? lsl o o 198 Pork Production a nitrogenous concentrate when pigs are fed on forage will be suggested by the results of experiment station studies tabulated in the following pages. Supplements for pigs on rape. In Table LXVIII are the results obtained at the Mis- souri Experiment Station when pure-bred Poland-China gilts on good rape forage were fed different rations. The pigs were spring-farrowed and averaged 40 pounds in each lot at the beginning of the test, which lasted 112 days. TABLE LXVIII. — CORN VERSUS CORN AND A SUPPLEMENT FOR PIGS ON RAPE x RATIONS FORAGE AVERAGE DAILY FEED PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCENTRATES FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN 4 eorn+ 4 shorts -f 1 bran+ 1 tankage Rape Ib, 3.50 Ib. 1.01 Ib. 348 9 corn+ 1 Tankage « 3.50 1.05 332 1 corn+ 1 shorts 3.50 .96 364 1 corn + 4 skim-milk « 1.88 corn 6.04 skim-milk .98 193 corn 772 skim-milk Corn alone « 3.10 .80 390 These gilts averaged approximately 153 pounds when the experiment closed. In all cases the feeding of a supplement with the corn gave faster gains than when 1 L. A. Weaver : Poland-China Journal, July, 1917. Methods of Feeding on Forage 199 the corn was fed alone. There was also a saving in the feed required for each 100 pounds of gain. The ration of 9 parts of corn and 1 of tankage proved the best. With normal prices, this ration would give more profitable results than corn alone. Evvard of the Iowa Experiment Station l fed different proportions of meat-meal or tankage with corn to spring pigs on alfalfa and rape with the following interesting results, as shown in Table LXIX. TABLE LXIX. — BEST PROPORTION OP TANKAGE TO FEED WITH CORN TO PIGS ON RAPE AND ALFALFA RATIONS FORAGE AVERAGE NUMBER PIGS PER ACRE LENGTH OP PERIOD AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCENTRATES FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Corn alone Rape 25 days 160 Ib. .81 Ib. 338 corn \2\ corn-h 1 tankage « 25.9 160 .93 316 com 25 tankage 8^ corn-|- 1 tankage (i 27.3 160 .96 311 corn 38 tankage 7 corn+ 1 tankage « 28.3 160 .96 309 corn 44 tankage Corn alone Alfalfa 44.4 190 .64 398 corn 13| corn 1 tankage « 43.5 190 .94 329 corn 24 tankage Regarding the advisability of feeding tankage or meat- meal to pigs on rape, Evvard says : " Rape requires very little if any supplement. Our experience indicates, and the above figures are in line with this, that about 5 per 1 Proc. Am. Soc. Animal Nutrition : 1913. 200 Pork Production cent as much meat-meal as corn is sufficient in the growing and fattening of spring pigs while on rape." The feeding of the 7 to 8 per cent of tankage with the corn was profitable here with the pigs on alfalfa. At the Ohio Station, one lot of pigs was fed corn alone on rape, and a second corn and tankage on rape. These pigs were spring farrowed and weighed about 44 pounds each when the test began. The experiment lasted 77 days. The following table shows the results: TABLE LXX. — CORN VERSUS CORN AND TANKAGE FOR PIGS ON RAPE l RATIONS FOBAGE AVERAGE FEED DAILY PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCENTRATES FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Corn alone Rape Ib. 1.79 Ib. .77 Ib. 231.8 9 Corn and | 1 tankage j . " 1.79 .80 201.24 corn 22.36 tankage The pigs in this experiment were fed a very limited amount of grain and the rates of gain in the two lots were practically the same. Twenty-two pounds of tank- age effected a saving only of 30 pounds of corn. Straight corn was, therefore, practically as efficient as corn and tankage. At the usual prices, corn alone was the more profitable ration. In interpreting the results of this trial, one should remember that no more than half rations were fed. Amount of supplements on alfalfa. In the following table are summarized the results of one experiment conducted at the Kansas Experiment 1 Carmichael and Eastwood : Ohio Exp. Sta. Bull. 242. PLATE V. — Above, Sows and pigs on alfalfa ; middle, Pigs in clover ; below, Pigs in rape. Methods of Feeding on Forage 201 Station and two at the Nebraska Station. The pigs in the Kansas experiment averaged 32 pounds when the test began and in the Nebraska experiments 39 and 68 pounds respectively. Full grain rations were fed in the former; while practically one-half rations were fed in the first Nebraska experiment. TABLE LXXI. — CORN ALONE VERSUS CORN AND A SUPPLE- MENT FOR PIGS ON ALFALFA * RATIONS FORAGE NUMBER PIGS AVERAGE FEED DAILY PER PlQ AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCEN- TRATES RE- QUIRED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Corn alone Alfalfa 10 Ib. 2.48 Ib. .649 Ib. 384 Corn 62% 1 Shorts 30% | Tankage 8% j « 10 4.29 1.222 351 Corn alone Alfalfa 30 21b. per cwt. .63 173 3 corn 1 shorts " 30 « .53 196 95% corn \ 5% tankage/ Alfalfa 8 — 1.03 345 90% corn \ 10% tankage/ (t 8 — 1.03 349 The results from these experiments appear contra- dictory. Just why the pigs fed corn alone in the first experiment did not eat more and gain faster is not clear. When weanling pigs are fed half rations on good alfalfa pasture, the results of the first Nebraska experiment would indicate that the addition of a protein supplement 1 Kans. Exp. Sta. Bull. 192, Wright. Neb. Exp. Sta. Bull 99 and 94, Snyder and Burnett. 202 Pork Production is altogether unnecessary. The composition of green forage makes this seem reasonable. In the second Nebraska experiment, 5 per cent of tankage with corn proved as efficient as 10 per cent. Supplements for pigs on winter rye. Two experiments at the Kentucky Experiment Station were calculated to answer the question as to whether it was necessary to feed a nitrogenous supplement with corn to young pigs on winter rye. The pigs in both trials averaged about 48 pounds at the beginning. The experi- ments began in November and closed in May and April, respectively. TABLE LXXII. — CORN ALONE VERSUS CORN AND SOYBEANS OR TANKAGE FOR PIGS ON WINTER RYE * AVERAGE AVERAGE CONCENTRATES FORAGE RATIONS NUMBER OF PIGS FEED DAILY DAILY GAIN PER REQUIRED TO PRODUCE PER PIG PIG 100 LB. GAIN Ib. Ib. Jb. Corn-meal Winter rye 5 3.21 .78 411 6 corn-meal -f- <« it 4 3.58 .98 365 1 soybean meal Corn-meal Winter rye 7 4.09 .85 480 10 corn-meal + " " 7 4.25 1.13 376 1 tankage In these experiments it was profitable to feed the soybeans and tankage. Although young rye is very rich in its content of protein, the quantity of forage eaten on the dry matter basis, especially during the * Good : Ky. Exp. Sta. Bull. 175. Methods of Feeding on Forage 203 winter, would seem to be insufficient to supply the re- quirements of the pigs when given a full feed of corn. Supplements for pigs on timothy and blue-grass. An experiment conducted at the Iowa Experiment Station compared a ration of corn alone with one made up of 2 parts corn and 1 shorts, and another of 5 parts corn to 1 meat-meal, for 59-pound pigs on timothy pas- ture. A fourth lot of pigs on red clover was fed corn alone. The experiment covered a period of 112 days, beginning July 24 and closing November 13. The results are shown in the following table : TABLE LXXIII. — CORN ALONE VERSUS CORN AND A SUPPLE- MENT FOR PIGS ON TIMOTHY 1 AVERAGE AVERAGE CONCENTRATES RATIONS FORAGE NUMBER OF PIGS FEED DAILY DAILY GAIN PER REQUIRED TO PRODUCE PER PIG PIG 100 LB. GAIN Ib. Ib. Ib. 2 corn-f 1 shorts Timothy 10 4.50 1.12 400.90 5 corn + 1 meat-meal « 10 5.48 1.37 409.60 Corn alone « 10 4.17 .92 451.40 Corn alone Clover 10 4.97 1.19 416.10 The pigs given meat-meal with their corn were approxi- mately 50 pounds heavier at the close of the experiment than were those fed corn alone on timothy. Not only did these pigs gain faster, but less feed was required to produce a given gain. One pound of meat-meal replaced 1 Kennedy and Robbins : Iowa Exp. Sta. Bull. 91. 204 Pork Production 1.6 pounds of corn. With normal prices for feed, this would not mean a saving in the actual cost of producing 100 pounds of gain, but the heavier weight and the quicker market finish of those fed meat-meal would insure a profit. A smaller proportion of meat-meal would prob- ably have been more profitable. The pigs fed shorts with their corn made somewhat faster gains than those given corn alone, but with the usual prices the cost of gains was no cheaper. It is apparent from these results that when rapid gains and a quick market finish are especially desired, the feed- ing of a nitrogenous supplement might be profitable. The excellent showing of the pigs on clover compared with the other lots is about what would be expected from a knowledge of its composition. The best proportion of tankage to feed with corn to 48-pound pigs when on a pasture of blue-grass and timothy was tested in an experiment at the Ohio Experiment Station1 lasting 140 days. The results are shown in Table LXXIV. TABLE LXXIV. — THE BEST PROPORTION OP TANKAGE TO FEED WITH CORN ON BLUE-GRASS AND TIMOTHY l AVERAGE AVERAGE CONCENTRATES RATIONS FORAGE NUMBER OF PlGS FEED DAILY DAILY GAIN PER REQUIRED TO PRODUCE 100 LB. PER PIG PIG GAIN Ib. Ib. Ib. 9 corn and Blue-grass 1 tankage and timothy 8 4.71 1.25 375.3 19 corn and " 1 tankage 8 4.62 1.19 389.4 1 Cannichael and Ridgway : Ohio Exp. Sta. Bull. 242. Methods of Feeding on Forage 205 The green feed available for these pigs was not abun- dant at any time. The difference in the rate of gain, and the amount of total concentrated feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain in the two lots was very small, though favoring slightly those fed the larger proportion of tankage. With corn figured at 56 cents a bushel and tankage 48 dollars a ton, the pigs fed the smaller proportion of tankage made the cheaper gains. One hundred pounds of gain on the 10 per cent of tankage ration cost $4.28, while on the 5 per cent tankage ration the cost was only $4.17, a difference of 11 cents. Corn alone on clover. At the Iowa Experiment Station one lot of pigs on medium red clover was fed a ration of straight corn, while a second similar lot on clover was given corn with 10 per cent meat-meal added. The experiment began June 20 and closed November 10, covering a period of 141 days. The pigs were given full rations during the last 85 days only. The results of this test are shown in Table LXXV. TABLE LXXV. — CORN ALONE VERSUS CORN AND TANKAGE FOR PIGS ON CLOVER l RATIONS FORAGE NUMBER OF PIGS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCENTRATES FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Corn alone Medium red clover 18 Ib. 39 Ib. .84 Ib. 370.63 9 Corn 1 Tankage (i 15 39 1.13 334.10 1 Eward, Kildee, and Kennedy : Iowa Exp. Sta. Bull. 136. 206 Pork Production With 56-cent corn and $40 a ton tankage, the cost of producing 100 pounds of gain would be practically the same on the two rations. The more rapid gains of those fed tankage, however, would indicate that the tankage feeding would be profitable when an early finish is de- sirable. Oats, Canadian field peas, and rape. Another experiment at the same station sought to de- termine the best proportion of meat-meal to feed pigs while grazing a forage mixture of oats, Canadian field peas, and rape. These pigs were full fed during the last 100 days only, although receiving liberal rations during the first 60 days. The experiment began June 13 and lasted 160 days. The results are shown in Table LXXVI. TABLE LXXVI. — BEST PROPORTION OP MEAT-MEAL TO FEED WITH CORN TO PIGS ON A MIXTURE OP OATS, CANADIAN FIELD PEAS, AND RAPE l RATIONS FORAGE NUMBER OP PIGS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCEN- TRATES FED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN 19 corn and 1 meat-meal . Oats, Cana- dian field peas, and rape 21 Ib. 26 Ib. 1.15 Ib. 351.44 9 corn and 1 meat-meal . » 21 25 1.16 367.41 In this experiment, the smaller proportion of meat- meal produced the cheaper and more economical gains, and practically as rapid. 1 Eward, Kildee, and Kennedy : Iowa Exp. Sta. Bull. 136. Methods of Feeding on Forage 207 General summary. In the absence of more definite information regarding the best proportion of nitrogenous supplements to feed with corn or other similar grains under different con- ditions, the following general summary of suggestions is made in Table LXXVII. These suggestions are largely based on the foregoing experimental studies and take account of the age of pigs, the composition and quality of the forage crops, and whether full or limited grain rations are fed. To simplify the statement, the proportion of protein supplement recommended is stated in terms of tankage or meat-meal containing 55 to 60 per cent of protein. By reference to Table CXXII, page 279, the amount of shorts, middlings, linseed-oil meal, and the like, which would supply approximately the same proportion of protein in the ration, can be determined. TABLE LXXVII. — SHOWING PROPORTION OP NITROGENOUS SUP- PLEMENTS TO FEED WITH CORN TO PIGS ON FORAGE FORAGE FOR PIGS WEIGHING LESS THAN 100 POUNDS FOR PIGS WEIGHING MORE THAN 100 POUNDS When fed full grain rations for rapid gains When fed lim- ited grain ra- tions for mod- erate gains When fed full grain rations for rapid gains When fed lim- ited grain ra- tions for mod- erate gains When on alfalfa, clover, Canadian field peas, rape, or a mixture of any of these with oats 5-10% Best grade tankage or meat-meal 0-5% Best grade tankage or meat-meal 0-5% Best grade tankage or meat-meal None When on blue-grass, timothy, green rye, oats, sorghum, or similar forages 8-12% Best grade tankage or meat-meal 6-8% Best grade tankage or meat-meal 6-8% Best grade tankage or meat-meal 0-5% Best grade tankage or meat-meal When on fairly mature soybeans, cowpeas, or peanuts None None None None 208 Pork Production It will be noted that there is a considerable range in the proportion of supplement recommended for a given group of forages and for pigs of a given weight and system of feeding. This is because of the normal variations which occur in the abundance and quality of forage supplied by a given crop in different years, as well as the normal differences in composition which exist between the forages of the same group. It frequently happens that the crop is so much below average that the de- sired rate of gain can only be secured by a larger pro- portion of supplement even than the maximum figure recommended in the table. On the other hand, when the forage is abundant and palatable, the smaller pro- portions will be sufficient because of the larger quantity of the protein-rich forage eaten. Another reason why exact quantities cannot be stated is because of the variations which may occur from year to year in the relation of the price of corn and the price of supplements in general. When grain is cheap and supplements relatively high, a smaller proportion of supplement to grain will be more profitable than when grain is high and the commercial supplements cheap. When barley, rye, wheat, or oats, or any mixture of these is fed, a slightly smaller proportion of the protein supple- ment is required than when corn is used. FEEDING A GRAIN RATION TO PIGS ON FORAGE The digestive apparatus of the pig is so limited in capacity that he is unable to make even moderate gains on green forage alone. Pigs weighing less than 100 pounds fail to maintain their weight on ordinary pastures, especially if they have previously been fed some grain. Methods of Feeding on Forage 209 Thrifty growthy shotes weighing 100 pounds or more will ordinarily do just a little better than maintain their weight when on the best of forages. Thin mature sows will hold their own on good pasture and will make a gain of as much as a half pound daily on alfalfa, clover, or rape. Much depends, however, on their condition, previous feeding, and the quality of the forage. Al- though well-grown thrifty pigs may maintain their weight on good forages alone for a period of several months, they lose condition, take on a rough appearance, and become extremely "pot-bellied" in appearance. They apparently grow in bone and stature, but lose in weight and fat. The problem of the feeder, however, is not one of main- tenance but of production. He is concerned, not with the cost of maintaining his pigs at a constant weight, but with the cost of producing the gains which will insure market finish or breeding development. An important principle to remember at this point is that it is only that part of the ration fed above maintenance which is avail- able for growth or fat production. In the production of pork, therefore, the returns from the entire ration are determined by the quantity fed in excess of the main- tenance requirements. Some grain is necessary if con- tinuous gains are made. Just how much grain should be fed while the pigs are on forage in order to insure the greatest economy of production, all factors considered, is the question to which we will now give our attention. Pigs intended for market In the production of market pigs, the problem of decid- ing whether full or limited grain feeding, with good forages, 210 Pork Production is the most suitable and profitable for a given farm should first be considered in its larger aspect; namely, with reference to the primary purpose for which the hogs are produced and the general system of feeding which best suits the plan of management followed for the farm as a whole. This phase of the question has already been discussed in the earlier pages of Chapter VII. The other considerations which affect the problem more directly are the rate and cost of gains during the forage season ; the rate and cost of gains during the dry lot feeding period ; the proportion of old and new corn used in full as against limited feeding while on forage ; and the time of marketing as affected by limited versus full feeding while on forage. Rate and cost of gains during forage season. Most of the experimental work done to help solve the question of whether a full or a limited ration on forage was the most efficient and profitable has been confined to a study of the forage period only, rather than for the entire period from weaning to the time market weights had been attained. Since 1904, fifteen separate experi- ments l of this kind have been conducted in which twenty- five comparisons of limited versus full grain feeding have been made. A careful study of the results furnished by these practical tests, considered individually and col- lectively, supports the following conclusions : (1) The more liberal the grain feeding, the faster were the gains. Maximum gains were made only when full i Neb. Exp. Sta. Bull. 99 ; Kans. Exp. Sta. Bull. 192 ; Ala. Exp. Sta. Bull. 147 ; Iowa Exp. Sta. Circ. Letter ; Ohio Exp. Sta. unpublished data ; 111. Exp. Sta., Circ. Letter ; Ind. Exp. Bta., unpublished data. Methods of Feeding on Forage 211 rations were fed. In all the experiments there was no exception to this result. (2) The feeding of but one-fourth a full grain ration secured a gain of as much as \ pound daily only when the pigs were on the best of forage. It would seem that the gains made on limited rations, especially when fed one-half full feed or less, are more largely dependent on GRAIN FIG. 9. — Relation of intensity of feeding spring pigs on forage to the rate of gain. the quality and abundance of the forage than are the gains made by pigs fed the heavier grain allowances. A summary study of the gains made in these experi- ments seemed to justify the expectation that good spring pigs on first-class forage crops will, when fed limited rations, make gains closely approximating those in- dicated in Fig. 9. (3) With respect to the amount of grain consumed for each 100 pounds of gain made by the pigs on the different rations, a survey of the experimental results referred to 212 Pork Production above indicated that, as a rule, the heavier the grain allowance the larger was the grain consumption for a unit of gain. The exceptions to this rule were when the pigs were fed such a limited ration that their daily gains were less than f pound, and in other cases, when the quality or abundance of the forage was not up to stand- ard. This conclusion is expressed graphically in Fig. 10, which is based on the summarized results of these studies. u Itf <6 25 1 w. middlings j 5 120 54 .645 { 526 barley, { oats and [ middlings Ont. Agr. College, Day 2 barley meal 1 2 roots(cooked) > 1 w. middlings J 5 120 54 .850 f 397 meal \ 361 roots 2 barley meal ] 2 roots (uncooked) j 5 120 54 .807 f 423 meal \ 374 roots 1 w. middlings J ' Contrary to the results of experiments conducted in the states and reported in Table CXXIV, the rations contain- ing barley in the Canadian experiments produced faster gains with less feed than did those containing corn. The contradiction in the two sets of results is probably to be Other Cereal Grains for Growing Pigs 285 explained by a difference in the quality of corn and barley fed. Examination of the carcasses showed the corn-fed pigs to be decidedly inferior to the barley-fed animals. Regarding the suitability of barley for bacon-produc- tion Day 1 says : " Barley is a noted hog food in Europe ; but some feeders in this country do not look upon it with favor. We have secured excellent results from barley, however, both in the amount of gain and the quality of bacon. For young pigs it should be mixed with wheat middlings, a very little barley being used at first, and the quantity gradually increased. For older pigs peas or wheat may be added. Some succulent food, such as roots or green feed, should always be fed with it ; and skim-milk makes a great improvement. It is not gen^ erally regarded with favor as a food for breeding sows." WHEAT The demand for wheat flour in this country and abroad leaves little sound wheat available for feeding purposes. Occasionally, however, through the scarcity of old corn and a large wheat crop, this cereal is available at a price more commensurate with its feeding value. At such times the corn-belt feeder especially desires to know the relative merits of wheat and corn, and the method of feeding wheat most likely to give the best results. Wheat versus corn. Plumb and Anderson 2 at the Indiana station and Snyder and Burnett 3 at the Nebraska station have con- ducted feeding trials in which the dry unground wheat was compared with shelled corn. In the Indiana experi- 1 Ont. Agr. Coll. Bull. 129. 2 Bull. 67. 3 Ibid. 167. 286 Pork Production ment skim-milk was fed as a supplement, and in the Nebraska experiment access to alfalfa hay was given. The results of these are averaged and reported in Table CXXVII. TABLE CXXVII. — WHOLE WHEAT (dry) VERSUS SHELLED CORN (dry) (Av. 2 Exps.) GRAIN TOTAL, NUMBER PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EXPERIMENTS AVERAGE INITIAL, WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCENTRATES EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Days tb. Ib. Ib. Shelled corn . 13 101 77.4 1.135 390 corn Whole wheat 13 101 76.6 1.020 432 wheat In both these experiments, better results were obtained with shelled corn than with whole wheat. The fact that wheat is hard to masticate, that it tends to become gummy and form a pasty mass when chewed, is probably responsible for its poor showing in these tests. TABLE CXXVIII. — GROUND WHEAT VERSUS GROUND CORN (Av. 6 Exps.) RATIONS TOTAL NUMBER PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EXPERIMENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCENTRATES EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days tb. Ib. Ib. Ground corn . 46 110 100 1.136 522.6 Ground wheat 46 110 102 1.291 474.4 To determine the relative merits of ground wheat and ground corn, fed as a thick slop, the averaged results of six experiments conducted at the Missouri,1 Ohio,2 1 Weaver, Bull. 136. 2 Eastwood, Bull. 268. Other Cereal Grains for Growing Pigs 287 and Nebraska,1 experiment stations are summarized in Table CXXVIII. In three of the experiments the grains were fed alone, while in the other three protein supplements were given in the same proportion in both rations. In every experiment contributing results in the above table, the gains were faster on the wheat than on the corn rations; and, with the exception of one experiment, a unit of gain was made on less feed. The averaged results showed the pigs on the wheat rations to have gained 13.6 per cent faster; and for producing a given gain, 100 pounds of wheat proved equivalent to 110 pounds of corn. For growing pigs, however, shelled corn is as efficient as ground corn (see page 339) . Since it is neces- sary to grind wheat, the advantage of wheat over corn when available at the same price is largely offset by the expense of grinding. Wheat versus one-half wheat and one-half corn. Four experiments by Weaver 2 at the Missouri Experi- ment Station gave uniformly better results from ground wheat alone than from a mixture of equal parts of ground wheat and ground corn, both when the grains were fed alone and when supplemented with tankage. The average daily gain on the wheat-alone ration was 1.385 pounds and on a mixture of the two grains 1.31 pounds, and the total feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain 476 and 503 pounds, respectively. The thirty-six pigs averaged about 97 pounds at the beginning of the experiments, which covered an average period of 120 days. On the other hand, Henry,3 at the Wisconsin Station 1 Smith, Bull. 75. 2 Bull. 136. 3 Wis. An. Rpt., 1894. 288 Pork Production in three experiments with eighteen pigs averaging 159 pounds, obtained slightly but uniformly better results from the mixture of equal parts ground wheat and ground corn than from ground wheat alone, both rations in each experiment being unsupplemented. High-grade wheat was used at both stations and the rations fed in the form of a thick slop. The averaged data of all seven experi- ments at both stations give results which favor very slightly the wheat-alone ration. Dry whole wheat versus soaked whole wheat. The results of three experiments, involving thirty- eight pigs, give information regarding the advantage of soaking whole wheat. Two were conducted at the Nebraska l Experiment Station and one at the Indiana station.2 In one of the Nebraska trials, the pigs were given in addition to the wheat access to alfalfa hay, of which they ate very little. The essential results are averaged and shown in Table CXXIX. TABLE CXXIX. — DRY WHOLE WHEAT VERSUS SOAKED WHOLE WHEAT (Av. 3. Exps.) RATION TOTAL NUMBER PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EXPERI- MENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCEN- TRATES EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib. Ib. Dry whole wheat . 19 98 88 .89 500 Soaked whole wheat 19 98 88 .94 478 1 Snyder and Burnett, Neb. Exp. Sta. Bull. 147 ; Smith, Neb. Exp. Sta. Bull. 75. 2 Plumb and Anderson, Ind. Bull. 67. Other Cereal Grains for Growing Pigs 289 In each experiment the results in rate and economy of gain were in favor of the soaked wheat. With neither ration, however, were the results satisfactory. Soaked whole wheat versus soaked ground wheat. Accumulated studies by the experiment stations of the country have proved rather conclusively that wheat must be ground for the best results. In Table CXXX the results of five experiments are summarized when soaked whole wheat was fed one lot of pigs and soaked ground whole wheat another lot. The wheat was soaked twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Tankage was fed as a supplement in one experiment and alfalfa hay in a second. In the other cases no protein feeds were used. In one of the trials the wheat fed had been frosted. TABLE CXXX. — SOAKED WHOLE WHEAT VERSUS SOAKED GROUND WHEAT (Av. 5 Exps.) l RATIONS TOTAL NUMBER PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EXPERIMENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCENTRATES EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Soaked whole wheat . . 42 days 81 Ib. 135 Ib. 1.118 Ib. 538 Soaked ground wheat . . 43 81 136 1.354 442 For producing a given gain, 100 pounds of soaked ground wheat is shown here to have the value of 121 pounds of soaked whole wheat. In addition, the pigs 1 Grisdale, Central Exp. Farms, Canada, Bull. 33 ; Bliss and Lee, Neb. Exp. Sta. Bull. 144 ; Snyder and Burnett, Neb. Exp. Sta. Bull. 147 ; Good and Smith, Ky. Exp. Sta. Bull. 75. 290 Pork Production fed the ground wheat gained 21 per cent faster than those fed the whole wheat. Wheat alone versus wheat and a protein supplement. Like corn, wheat must be supplemented with a feed rich in nitrogenous material if the most rapid and eco- nomical gains are made. This is demonstrated by the results of six experiments, summarized in Table CXXXI. In all of the trials but one, the wheat was ground and fed as a slop ; in five of the trials 5 to 8 per cent of tankage was fed in the supplemented ration, and in the other 50 per cent of wheat shorts. TABLE CXXXI. — WHEAT ALONE VERSUS WHEAT AND A PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT1 (Av. 6 Exps.) RATIONS TOTAL NUM- BER PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EXPERI- AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG TOTAL CON- CENTRATES EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib. Ib. Wheat alone .... 53 89 106 1.158 475 Wheat and supplement 52 89 106 1.356 437 Frosted versus sound wheat. In practically all the experiments thus far considered with wheat, the grain fed was sound and marketable. Wheat which has been injured while in the dough stage by hot winds or frost or damaged by excessive rains during harvest, is considered to have a lower feeding value than wheat which has been properly filled or been uninjured. 1 Weaver, Mo. Exp. Sta. Bull. 136 ; Good and Smith, Ky. Exp. Sta. Bull. 190 ; Bliss and Lee, Neb. Exp. Sta. Bull. 144 ; Clark, Mont. Exp. Sta. Bull. 89. Other Cereal Grains for Growing Pigs 291 Likewise "salvage" wheat, which has been more or less damaged by elevator fire, is no doubt less valuable than sound wheat in direct proportion to the degree of injury done. An experiment conducted at the Montana Experiment Station by Clark 1 suggests the feeding qualities of frosted as contrasted with good wheat. The wheat for both lots of pigs was ground and fed without supplements, in the form of a slop. The results are shown in Table CXXXII. TABLE CXXXII. — FROSTED WHEAT VERSUS SOUND WHEAT RATIONS LENGTH OF EXPERI- AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT AVERAGE FINAL WEIGHT AVERAGE DAILY GAIN FEED EATEN FOR EACH MENT PER PIG PER PIG PER PIG GAIN days Ib. Ib. Ib. Ib. Frosted wheat . . 49 149 194 .92 560 Sound wheat . . . 49 150 199 1.01 532 In this experiment, 100 pounds of sound wheat were equal to 105 pounds of frosted wheat. The pigs receiv- ing the sound grain also gained 9.7 per cent faster. RYE The composition of rye would suggest that its feeding value for growing and fattening pigs would be equal if not superior to that of corn. The results of a few experimental feeding tests, however, prove rather con- clusively that its value is a little less than corn. The results of an experiment by H. R. Smith 2 at the Nebraska Bull. 89. Ibid., 75. 292 Pork Production Experiment Station are shown in Table C XXXIII. In each lot the grain was fed ground without a supplement and in the form of a slop. TABLE CXXXIII. — GROUND RYE VERSUS GROUND CORN GRAIN NUMBER PIGS LENGTH OF EXPERI- MENT AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib. Ib. Ground corn . . . 6 91 110 .71 609 Ground rye . . . 6 91 107 .67 624 Although the pigs were occasionally given lime and charcoal, the gains were hardly satisfactory in either lot. The corn-fed pigs gained faster, however, than the rye- fed, 100 pounds of the former being equal to 102 pounds of rye in the production of a unit of gain. The rye was eaten with less relish and in slightly smaller amounts than was the corn. Owing to the difficulty of masti- cating rye successfully, it must be ground for best results. At the experimental substation at North Platte, Ne- braska, Snyder and Burnett1 conducted three pig-feed- ing experiments in which rye was compared with wheat. In two of the trials the grains were fed soaked and without grinding, and in one the grains were both soaked and ground. The pigs in two of the tests had access to alfalfa hay in a rack, while in the other experiment the grains were fed alone. The results of these three experi- ments are shown in Table CXXXIV, the first part of which gives the average of the two trials. 1 Bull. 147. Other Cereal Grains for Growing Pigs 293 TABLE CXXXIV. — RYE VERSUS WHEAT LENGTH AVERAGE AVERAGE AVERAGE TOTAL RATIONS NUMBER OF PIGS OF EXPERI- INITIAL WEIGHT DAILY GAIN FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. MENTS PER PIG PER PIG GAIN days tb. Ib. Ib. Whole wheat — 504 wheat soaked . . . 19 98 107.5 1.05 10 alfalfa hay Whole rye — 546 rye soaked . . . 19 98 109.9 .88 12 alfalfa hay Ground wheat — 425 wheat soaked . . . 10 98 123 1.39 10 alfalfa hay Ground rye — 572 rye soaked . . . 10 98 123 .83 23 alfalfa hay In all cases the wheat gave better results than the rye, especially when both were ground. Averaging the results from all three trials, 100 pounds of wheat proved equal to 116 pounds of rye in the production of a given gain. The rate of gain, also, was approximately 35 per cent faster on the wheat than on the rye rations. According to Henry and Morrison,1 extensive experi- ments in Denmark have shown rye meal to be slightly less valuable than corn-meal, and about equal to barley meal in the production of pork. The bacon from rye- fed pigs was good, though not so satisfactory as when it was fed in combination with other grains. Rye bran and rye middlings, on the other hand, produced bacon of a very inferior quality. OATS Although oats are an excellent feed for brood sows and other hogs not receiving full fattening rations, they 1 "Feeds and Feeding," 1915. 294 Pork Production are too bulky to give satisfactory results when fed to growing pigs and fattening shotes. A hundred pounds of oats contain 15.3 pounds less of digestible nutrients than the same amount of corn. Corn contains 2 per cent of woody fiber, while oats contain 10.9 per cent. This is the principal reason why oats are less digestible than corn and too bulky for pigs fed for rapid gains. Oats versus corn. Two experiments by Eastwood 1 at the Ohio Experi- ment Station furnish a very reliable test for contrasting the results from feeding corn and oats to growing pigs. The averaged figures are stated in Table CXXXV. TABLE CXXXV. — OATS VERSUS CORN (Av. 2 Exps.) RATIONS, PROPORTIONS BY WEIGHT TOTAL NUMBER PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EXPERI- MENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN 9 ground corn . 1 tankage . . . 10 days 105 Ib. 103 Ib. 1.63 Ib. 381.78 corn 42.42 tank. 9 ground oats 1 tankage . . . 10 105 99 1.04 480. 10 oats 53.34 tank. In these experiments the corn-fed pigs gained .59 pound daily faster than the oat-fed animals. The amount of feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain showed 100 pounds of corn equal to 125 pounds of oats. In addition, a smaller quantity of tankage was eaten for a unit of gain by those fed corn. Experiments by Henry 2 at the Wisconsin Experiment 1 Bull. 268. 2 Wis. An. Rpt., 1889. Other Cereal Grains for Growing Pigs 295 Station and Eastwood l at the Ohio Station indicate that as the proportion of oats in the ration is increased the efficiency of the ration is reduced. The detailed results of these experiments are shown in Table CXXXVI. TABLE CXXXVI. — THE EFFECT OF FEEDING DIFFERENT PROPORTIONS OF OATS WITH CORN RATIONS, PROPOR- TIONS BY WEIGHT NUMBER PIGS LENGTH OF EX- PERIMENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN 1 whole oats 2 corn-meal 3 days 60 Ib. 115 Ib. .82 Ib. 164 oats 328 corn 2 whole oats 1 corn-meal 3 60 115 .68 376 oats 188 corn 1 ground oats 2 corn-meal 3 60 115 1.27 134 oats 268 corn 2 ground oats 1 corn-meal 3 60 115 1.03 286 oats 143 corn 3 ground oats 6 ground corn 1 tankage 5 84 152 1.57 137.4 oats 274.8 corn 45.8 tankage 6 ground oats 3 ground corn 1 tankage 5 84 148 1.49 283.9 oats 141.9 corn 47.3 tankage In every instance, as the proportion of oats was in- creased, the feed consumption and the rate of gain de- creased. In the first Wisconsin experiment, when the oats were unground, 100 pounds of corn-meal proved equal to 151 pounds of whole oats. When the oats were ground, 100 pounds of corn were equivalent to 121 pounds of oats. The results of the Ohio experiment showed 100 pounds of corn equal to 110 pounds of oats in producing a given 1 Bull. 268. 296 Pork Production gain. In addition, a larger amount of tankage was eaten for a given gain in the ration containing the larger pro- portion of oats. The two Wisconsin experiments suggest what general practice has confirmed, viz., that oats must be ground for best results. Like other grains, oats vary considerably in feeding value. As a rule, that produced in Canada and the northern states is heavier and consequently higher in feeding value than that grown farther south. KAFIR, MILO, CANE Feeding experiments generally have shown that kafir, milo, and cane, or sweet sorghum, are not as efficient as corn. Because of the adaptability of these crops to semi-arid conditions, however, their usefulness in pork production is large. Kafir versus corn. Wheeler 1 at the Kansas Station conducted two short experiments in which kafir meal and corn-meal were compared for fattening pigs in the dry lot. In each test the grains were supplemented with ground soybeans. The figures in Table C XXXVII show the averaged results. These results indicate that kafir ranks close to corn as a fattening feed. The difference here shown, however, would probably have been more favorable to the corn ration if the amount of feed in one of the experiments had not been limited. Kafir as a rule is less palatable than corn, and with unrestricted rations, considerably more corn than kafir is consumed. * Bull. 192. Other Cereal Grains for Growing Pigs 297 TABLE CXXXVII. — KAFIR MEAL VERSUS CORN-MEAL (Av. 2 Exps.) RATIONS, PROPORTIONS BY WEIGHT TOTAL NUMBER PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EX- PERIMENT AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN 4 kafir meal 1 soybean meal . . 24 days 28 Ib. 159 Ib. 1.23 Ib. 506 4 corn-meal 1 soybean meal . 24 28 155 1.26 494 Cane, milo, kafir, kaoliang, andfeterita versus corn. The results of two rather extensive experiments con- ducted at the Hays Branch Experiment Station, Kansas,1 where grains adapted to the western part of the state were compared with corn, are detailed in Table C XXXVIII. TABLE CXXXVIII. — A COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT GRAINS FOR FATTENING PIGS GRAINS NUMBER PIGS LENGTH OF EXPERIMENT AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG TOTAL FEED EATEN EACH 100 LB. GAIN Sorghum (cane) . Milo 10 10 days 60 60 Ib. 125 124 Ib. 1.70 1.70 Ib. 440 390 Kafir .... Corn .... 10 10 60 60 125 125 1.80 2.00 390 370 Kaoliang . . . Milo 10 10 74 74 140 140 1.31 1.43 572 523 Kafir .... Feterita . . . Corn .... 10 10 10 74 74 74 140 140 140 1.40 1.36 1.46 534 549 514 1 First table — Wright, Bull. 192. Second table — Cochel, Kansas Industrialist, May, 1915, and Henry and Morrison's "Feeds and Feeding." 298 Pork Production In both experiments the grain fed in each lot was supple- mented by 30 per cent shorts and 5 to 8 per cent tank- age. In all cases, also, the grains were reduced to a meal. In both experiments the corn ration produced the most rapid gains, with the least total feed consumed for a unit of gain. But the excellent showing of the other grains should furnish much encouragement to the hog-raiser who cannot grow corn successfully, but does produce these other crops in quantity. On the average, the results showed milo and kafir to be practically equal in feeding value, both grains being considerably superior to either kaoliang or feterita. In the first experiment sorghum produced as rapid gains as milo, but with the latter more feed was required for a unit of gain. In an experiment at the Nebraska Experiment Station, Snyder and Burnett l compared rations of corn and cane, with a combination of both, fed in each case with 10 per cent chopped alfalfa hay. TABLE CXXXIX. — SORGHUM VERSUS SORGHUM AND CORN GRAINS NUMBER OF PIGS LENGTH OF EXPERI- MENTS AVERAGE INITIAL, WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PlOJ GRAIN EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Corn .... 10 days 63 H>. 141 Ib. 1.69 #>. 386 £ corn £ cane (sorghum) 10 63 140 1.43 442 Cane (sorghum) . 10 63 140 1.15 548 The combination of cane and corn gave very much better results than cane alone. i Bull. 124. Other Cereal Grains for Growing Pigs 299 Kaoliang meal and corn-meal were compared by Wilson l at the South Dakota Experiment Station in two trials, results of which are averaged in Table CXL. In one of the experiments the grains were fed alone, while in the other the pigs were given access to alfalfa hay in a rack. TABLE CXL. — KAOLIANG MEAL VERSUS CORN-MEAL (Av. 2 trials) GRAINS TOTAL NUMBER AVERAGE LENGTH OF EX- AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT AVERAGE DAILY GAIN GRAIN EATEN FOR EACH 100 PERIMENTS PER PIG PER PIG LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib. Ib. Kaoliang meal . . 8 55 207 .925 621 Corn-meal . . . 8 55 196 1.255 492 Very fair gains were made on the kaoliang ration, but the amount of feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain was excessive. 1 Bull. 157. CHAPTER XIII CORN SUBSTITUTES AND OTHER BY-PROD- UCTS FOR GROWING AND FATTENING PIGS A TIME may come, even in the corn-belt, when corn will be regarded as too valuable to make its general use for live-stock feeding either patriotic or profitable. It may be many years under normal conditions before this situation is realized, but the more or less restricted area of the corn-belt, the rapid increase in the use of corn for human food and other commercial purposes, and the rate at which the population of the country is increas- ing in density, are conditions which point to an increas- ing scarcity of all cereal grains for feeding purposes in the future. CORN BY-PRODUCTS The three most commonly used corn by-products for pig-feeding #re hominy feed, corn feed meal, and corn germ meal. In addition, gluten feed and gluten meal have been employed to a limited extent. Hominy feed. This by-product is officially designated either hominy feed, hominy meal, or hominy chop. It is tentatively de- fined as follows by the Association of Feed Control Officials of the United States : " A kiln-dried mixture of the mill run bran coating, the mill run germ, with or without a 300 Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 301 partial extraction of the oil, and a part of the starchy portion of the white corn kernel obtained in the manu- facture of hominy, hominy grits and corn germ meal by the degerminating process." Yellow hominy feed is identical to the above except that it is manufactured from yellow corn. Hominy feed has a composition very similar to corn and is to be regarded, therefore, as a substitute and not a supplement for corn. Being low in protein and rich in carbohydrates, it must be balanced, like corn, by the addition of a feed rich in protein if satisfactory results are obtained from it. From 1909 to 1911, Skinner and King of the Indiana Experiment Station l conducted seven trials in each of which corn-meal and hominy meal were compared for fattening pigs in the dry lot. In three of the experi- ments, 33 per cent of shorts was fed to balance the rations and in four 5 per cent of tankage. In all cases the rations were hand-fed in the form of a thick slop. The sum- marized results are shown in Table CXLI. TABLE CXLI. — HOMINY MEAL VERSUS CORN-MEAL (Av. 7 trials) RATIONS TOTAL NUMBER PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EX- PERIMENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG TOTAL FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib. Ib. Corn-meal and sup- plement ... 51 87 112 .96 514 Hominy meal and supplement . . . 50 87 110 1.15 429 Bull. 158. 302 Pork Production In each of the seven experiments, the pigs fed the hominy meal gained faster, and with a smaller expendi- ture of feed for a unit of gain, than did those fed the corn- meal. On the average, the gains from the former ration were nearly 20 per cent faster, and 100 pounds of the hominy ration equaled 119 pounds of the corn ration. More recent feeding experiments, however, show a higher feeding value for corn than for hominy. Five trials at the Iowa Experiment Station and two at the Indiana Station since 1916 gave uniformly better results from corn than from hominy, the averaged conclusions of which are shown in Table CXLII. In four of the Iowa experiments the pigs had access to blue-grass pasture, and in one they were on rape. In the Indiana trials the pigs were fed in dry lots. Shelled corn was fed in five of the trials and ground corn in two. In all cases the feeds were properly supplemented in self-feeders. TABLE CXLII. — HOMINY MEAL VERSUS CORN FOR GROWING AND FATTENING Pias1 (Av. 7 trials) RATIONS TOTAL NUMBER Piaa AVERAGE LENGTH OP EXPERI- MENT AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG CONCEN- TRATES EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib. Ib. Corn and supplement . 50 91 71 1.396 398.9 Hominy and supplement 50 91 71 1.289 421.3 In every one of the experiments here summarized, a smaller total amount of feed was required to produce 1 Eward and Dunn, Iowa Exp. Sta. Circ. letter ; Skinner and Starr, Ind. Exp. Sta., Circ. letter. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 303 100 pounds of gain with the corn than with the hominy ration. In every instance but one, also, the rate of gain was faster on the corn ration. On the average, 100 pounds of the corn was equivalent to 105 pounds of the hominy ration. A slightly smaller proportion of supple- ment was eaten, however, by the pigs receiving the hominy. The rate of gain was, on the average, practi- cally 8 per cent faster on the corn ration. A modification of the methods of manufacturing hominy feed is probably responsible for the failure of this product to give as good results in these recent experi- ments as it did in those reported in Table CXLI. The analyses of the hominy used in the Indiana trials showed that the feed contained more fat and less fiber than that in the 1917 and 1918 experiments. The germ which formerly went into the hominy entire is now usually pressed for its oil and the remaining product either put back with the other by-products or sold alone as corn germ meal. Corn feed meal. The Association of Feed Control Officials of the United States defines this product as follows : " Corn Feed Meal is the by-product obtained in the manufacture of cracked corn, with or without aspiration products added to the siftings, and is the by-product obtained in the manu- facture of table meal from the whole grain by the non- degerminating process." This is a relatively new feed and the processes in its manufacture are probably not uniform. Analyses of this feed indicate that it is similar to corn in composition, but a little richer in protein and fiber with a little less of nitrogen-free-extract. Like hominy, it must be fed with a protein supplement for good results. 304 P'ork Production In two series of experiments at the Indiana Experi- ment Station in 1917-18, Skinner and Starr l made four comparisons of different corn feed meals with corn for fattening well-grown shotes in the dry lot. In each trial the corn was ground. The rations in all cases were supple- mented with tankage, the feeds being supplied in separate compartments of a self-feeder. The summarized results are shown in Table CXLIII. TABLE CXLIII. — CORN FEED MEAL VERSUS CORN-MEAL FOR FATTENING PIGS (Av. 4 trials) RATIONS TOTAL, NUMBER PlG8 AVERAGE LENGTH OP EX- PERIMENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG TOTAL FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib. Ib. Corn and tankage . 20 63 130 1.81 467 Corn feed meal and tankage . . 40 C3 130 1.89 439 The three brands of corn feed meal in the first experi- ment gave very uniform results. In every case the pigs fed this corn substitute gained a little faster than they did on corn, while the average amount of feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain was also less. These results indicate that corn feed meal is practically equal to corn when fed under the conditions of this experiment. Corn germ meal. This by-product was formerly referred to as germ oil meal, which is obtained in the manufacture of starch, 1 Circ. letters. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 305 glucose, and other corn products. It represents the germ layer of the -corn kernel from which part of the oil has been extracted. Two methods are employed in the separation of the germ from the kernel. In the manu- facture of starch, the germ is usually removed by the use of a weak water solution of sulfur ous acid, while in the making of hominy it is removed by mechanical processes. Chemical analysis of the feeds in the first Indiana feed- ing trial showed that the corn germ meals were consider- ably richer in protein than corn, and further, that the starch corn germ meal contained 6 per cent more protein than the hominy corn germ meal. Judging from the chemical analyses given in the following table, both feeds contain sufficient protein to dispense with the use of any supplement. TABLE CXLIV. — COMPOSITION OF CORN GERM MEALS AND CORN (From Ind. State Chemist) FEEDS WATER PROTEIN CARBOHYDRATES FATS ASH Crude fiber Nitrogen- free-extract Starch Corn germ meal . 9.3 24.6 8.6 45.3 10.1 2.1 Hominy Corn germ meal . 4.6 18.5 7.1 56.2 6.3 7.3 Corn-meal . . . 11.5 9.4 2.0 71.5 4.1 1.5 Preliminary investigations by Skinner and Starr 1 at the Indiana Experiment Station suggest the possibilities in the use of corn germ meal as a substitute for corn. Two 1 Circ. letter. 306 Pork Production experiments were conducted with the results shown in Table CXLV. The pigs used were well-grown shotes which were confined to dry lots during the trials. In all cases each feed was given in a, separate compartment of the self-feeder unless stated otherwise in the table. The corn germ meal from the starch factories is referred to in these experiments as starch corn germ meal, while that from the hominy mills is called hominy corn germ meal. TABLE CXLV. — CORN GERM MEAL AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR CORN Ind. Exp. Sta. Aug. 10-Oct. 9, 1917 — 60 days. RATIONS, SELF-FED, FREE CHOICE NUMBER PIGS AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Starch corn germ meal . 10 Ib. .28 Ib. 884.6 starch corn germ meal Starch corn germ meal Corn-meal 10 1.65 55.6 starch corn germ meal 390.1 corn-meal Starch corn germ meal Tankage 10 675 327.4 starch corn germ meal 251 5 tankage Hominy corn germ meal 10 1.50 419 hominy corn germ meal Corn-meal Tankage . . 10 1 80 711 corn-meal 41 tankage Ind. Exp. Sta. Nov. 6, 1917-Jan. 10, 1918 — 65 days Starch corn germ meal . 7 .03 8973 starch corn germ meal Mixture 1 part starch corn germ meal and 1 part corn-meal . . 7 .75 280 starch corn germ meal 280 corn-meal Mixture 1 part starch corn germ meal and 3 parts corn-meal . 7 1.35 199 starch corn germ meal 595 corn-meal Hominy corn germ meal 7 1.23 530 hominy corn germ meal Corn-meal Tankage 7 1 83 488 corn-meal 27.4 tankage Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 307 In both experiments the pigs receiving the starch corn germ meal alone did little more than maintain themselves. On the other hand, the gains by the pigs receiving the hominy corn germ rneal were on the average 1 .36 pounds daily. Feeding both starch corn germ meal and corn in separate compartments of the self-feeder resulted in the pigs eating very little of the former. When it was fed with tankage, free-choice, the pigs ate nearly as much tankage as they did starch corn germ meal. The unsatisfactory results obtained in these trials from feeding corn germ meal as maunfactured by the starch factories were obviously due to its unpalatability. The use of acid in loosening the germ layer in its manu- facture was believed to be the reason why it was not eaten with relish. Hominy corn germ meal proved to be nearly as palatable as corn. Corn gluten meal and corn gluten feed. The part of the corn kernel which remains after the removal of most of the starch, germ, and bran in the manu- facture of corn-starch and glucose is officially named corn gluten meal. It contains most of the corn gluten. It may or may not contain the so-called corn solubles which represent the part of the protein and mineral phosphates which go into solution in the processes of separation. Corn gluten feed is the same as corn gluten meal with the bran added. Gluten feed is consequently more bulky and less digestible than gluten meal. Gluten feed contains from 17 to 25 per cent of protein, and gluten meal from 27 to 36 per cent. Although sufficiently rich in protein to suggest large usefulness for balancing a corn ration, they have never proved popu- lar in practice, and are generally regarded as being more 308 Pork Production palatable and appropriate for cattle than for hogs. Very much more gluten feed is sold than gluten meal. In 1917 Evvard and Dunn l at the Iowa Experiment Station conducted feeding trials in which 45- to 50-pound pigs on rape were fed rations in which gluten feed was used both as a supplement to and a substitute for corn. The results from five of the rations in which all of the feeds were supplied separately in self-feeders are shown in Table CXLVI. TABLE CXLVI. — GLUTEN FEED AS A SUBSTITUTE AND A SUP- PLEMENT TO CORN FOR FATTENING PIGS ON RAPE RATIONS, SELF-FED, FREE CHOICE NUMBER OF PlGS LENGTH OF EX- PERIMENT AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED CONSUMED FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Corn .... 7 days 90 Ib. .84 Ib. 341 corn Gluten feed . . 7 90 .70 372 gluten feed Corn .... Tankage . . . 7 90 1.25 309 corn 40 tankage Gluten feed Tankage . . . 7 90 .86 330 gluten feed 67 tankage Corn Gluten feed . . 7 90 .78 331 corn 22 gluten feed The rations in which gluten feed was given alone, and also with tankage, did not give as good results as did corresponding rations in which corn was fed. In fact, corn alone gave better results than the ration of gluten feed and tankage or of gluten feed and corn. The authors concluded that for growing and fattening pigs fed full rations on forage, the gluten feed contained too i Ciro. letter. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 309 much fiber to be satisfactory. Chemical studies have indicated, also, that the kind of proteins and ash or mineral ingredients contained in corn by-products gen- erally are not of a nature most effectively to balance the deficiencies of corn itself. PEANUTS Peanuts are a valuable hog forage crop in the South. (See Chapter XVIII .) The seed when fed alone, however, produces very soft pork which is sharply discriminated against by the packer. The use of peanuts for the production of oil has largely developed in recent years, and has resulted in two by-products which promise con- siderable value for pork-production, especially in the South. These are peanut oil meal and unhulled peanut oil feed. Peanut oil meal is merely the hulled and ground peanut minus most of the oil. Unhulled peanut oil feed is the unhulled and ground peanut minus the oil. The latter sometimes goes by the name ground whole pressed peanuts. Peanut oil meal as a supplement to milo. At the Texas Experiment Station, Burk l studied the value of these peanut by-products when fed as supple- ments to milo chop to fattening pigs in the dry lot. The peanut meal contained 42 per cent protein, about the same as cottonseed meal, and 8.3 per cent fiber. The ground whole pressed peanuts contained 36 per cent protein and 22 per cent fiber. The rations were hand- fed and the quantity of the mixed ration given was gov- erned by the appetite of the pigs. The results are shown in Table CXLVII. * Bull. 201, 310 Pork Production TABLE CXLVII. — PEANUT OIL MEAL AND UNHULLED PEANUT OIL FEED AS SUPPLEMENTS TO MILO RATIONS, PROPORTIONS BY WEIGHT NUMBER OF PIGS LENGTH OF EX- PERIMENT AVERAGE INITIAL, WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG TOTAL FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Milo chops l . . 10 days 77 Ib. 124.6 Ib. .727 Ib. 648 6 milo chops 1 cottonseed meal 10 77 125.8 1.260 417 10 milo chops 1 meat meal . 10 77 124.8 1.180 455 7 milo chops, 1 peanut meal 10 77 125.6 1.210 434 2% milo chops 1 ground whole pressed peanuts 10 77 125.8 1.228 428 1 milo chops 1 peanut meal 10 77 • 129.6 1.424 368 The pork produced by the peanut rations was pro- nounced satisfactory by the packers. As indicated by the rate and economy of gains, the peanut feeds made an excellent showing. That milo is too carbonaceous to give good results when fed alone is strikingly shown by comparing the gains on this ration with those made in the lots in which protein supplements were fed. The fact that the milo rations when balanced with peanut meal or ground whole pressed peanuts produced faster gains with less feed than the ration balanced with meat-meal (tankage), is a strong testimony of the feeding value of these by-products. No injurious or poisonous effects whatever were noted among the pigs fed this proportion of cottonseed meal. (See p. 317.) 1 Milo chops = coarsely ground milo seedg. PLATE VIII. — Above, Champion pen Duroc-Jersey barrows, International 1918 ; below, 1. Carcass of a model bacon hog. (Bull. 10, Dept. of Agr., Dominion of Canada.) 2. Number 1 Wiltshire side (Bull. 10, Dept. of Agr., Dominion of Canada) ; 3. Pork cuts, lard hog (Bull. 147, 111. Exp. Sta.) ; 1. Long-cut ham; 2. Loin; 3. Belly ; 4. Picnicbutt ; 5. Boston butt ; 6. Jowl ; 7. Hock ; 8. Fat back ; 9. Clear plate ; 2, 8. Back ; 2, 3, 8. Side ; 4, 7. Picnic shoulder ; 5, 9. Shoulder butt ; 8, 9. Long fat back ; 4, 5, 7, 9. Rough shoulder. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 311 Peanut meal versus linseed-oil meal versus tankage. Evvard l of the Iowa Station fed peanut meal in com- parison with other supplements to growing pigs on blue- grass. The feeds in each lot were supplied separately in self-feeders. Each lot of pigs was fed to the average weight of 165 pounds before the experiment for that lot closed. The rations and the gains are shown in Table CXLVIII. TABLE CXLVIII. — PEANUT MEAL VERSUS LINSEED-OIL MEAL, TANKAGE, AND OAT-MEAL AS SUPPLEMENTS TO CORN RATIONS, SELF-FED FREE-CHOICE AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG DAYS TO REACH WEIGHT OF 165 LB. AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Shelled corn 2 Tankage 47 89 Ib. 1.41 323 corn 40 tankage Shelled corn Linseed-oil meal 47 104 1.14 362 corn 21 linseed-oil m. Shelled corn Peanut meal 47 89 1.33 281 corn 88 peanut meal Shelled corn Oat-meal 3 47 100 1.19 288 corn 76 oat-meal The peanut meal gave results in this experiment second only to tankage. The author of the experiment calcu- lated the peanut meal to have a money value of $64.20 a ton when corn is valued at $1.12 a bushel and tankage at $100 a ton, when fed under the conditions of this experi- ment. The peanut meal was more palatable than the 1 Circ. letter. 2 Average for two lots fed different brands of tankage. 3 A by-product in the manufacture of oat-meal, probably the same as oat middlings or oat shorts. 312 Pork Production linseed-oil meal or oat-meal. The oat-meal by-product gave very good results, but was not eaten with relish, especially in the first part of the experiment. RICE PRODUCTS In the manufacture of table rice, three by-products are produced — rice bran, rice polish, and rice hulls. The last feed contains an average of about 35 per cent fiber and is too bulky and hard to digest to be suitable in any quantity for pig-feeding. Rice bran, also, con- tains from 12 to 16 per cent fiber and is consequently more bulky than wheat bran. Both rice bran and rice polish are rather extensively used in the South. Being carbonaceous like corn, they require about the same pro- portion of protein feeds in order to insure the best results. Rice bran and rice polish versus corn. Dvorachek and Fowler l of the Arkansas Experiment Station conducted four feeding experiments in each of which rice bran and rice polish were compared with corn chops (ground corn) for fattening pigs in the dry lot. On one of the trials the feeds were each given without supplement. In the other three from 9 to 10 per cent of the rations was tankage. The results of these four experiments are averaged in Table CXLIX. The author of the experiments stated that none of the pigs fed the rice products showed evidences of imperfect nutrition. He also stated that rice bran, due to its tend- ency to become rancid in hot weather, could not be fed economically during the summer. It was also criticized for being too bulky to insure a good finish on fattening i Bull. 128. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 313 pigs. Despite these faults, however, rice bran gave very good results in these experiments. Although the rice polish was not so palatable as the corn, especially in the latter stages of fattening, and although it caused severe scouring when not soaked from twelve to twenty- four hours before feeding, the pigs made faster and more economical gains than did those fed corn chops. TABLE CXLIX. — RICE BRAN AND RICE POLISH VERSUS CORN CHOP (Av. 4 Exps.) FEEDS TOTAL NUMBER PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EX- PERIMENTS AVERAGE INITIAL, WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG TOTAL FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Corn chops and sup- plement . . . 21 days 76 Ib. 106 Ib. 1.290 Ib. 426 Rice bran and sup- plement . . . 21 76 106 1.255 445 Rice polish and sup- plement . . . 21 76 106 1840 360 Extensive studies by Duggar l at the Alabama Experi- ment Station in which rations containing corn-meal as the basis were compared with those containing rice polish showed uniformly faster and usually cheaper gains from the rice polish than from the corn-meal. The averaged results showed 373 pounds of rice polish equiva- lent to 474 pounds of corn-meal. Rice bran versus peanuts and corn. Additional evidence on the feeding value of rice bran is furnished by an experiment by Burns.2 This test was 122. * Ibid., 131. 314 Pork Production divided into two periods with an intervening interval of 14 days. The corn chops and the rice bran were soaked twenty-four hours before feeding. Part of the time the peanuts were fed on the vines and the remainder they were removed from the vines before feeding. The rations fed and the results for each period are shown separately in Table CL. TABLE CL. — RICE BRAN VERSUS PEANUTS VERSUS CORN FOR FATTENING PIGS RATIONS, PROPORTION BY WEIGHT NUMBER OF PIGS LENGTH OF PERIOD AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib Ib. I. Corn chops l 6 91 41.6 .21 966 II. Rice bran 6 91 41.6 .73 384 III. Whole peanuts 6 91 43.3 .67 296 4 Corn chops I. 4 Rice bran 1 Tankage G 39 63.6 1.06 236 II. 4 Corn chops 4 Rice bran 6 39 118.3 1.24 270 III. 1.9 Corn chops 1 Peanuts 6 39 105.0 1.58 188 In the first period the rate of gain was not satisfactory in any of the lots, particularly when corn chops were fed. The pigs on corn during this period ate the least feed and made the smallest gains of any. The feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain was also abnormally high on this ration. The marked improvement in the rate of gain shown here by all lots in the second period is evidence of the improved palatability and value of a 1 Corn chops = coarsely ground corn. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 315 ration containing a variety of feeds and properly balanced. This applies especially to the rations fed to lots I and II. The total feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain during the second period was abnormally small. Ordinarily the feeder cannot expect such economical gains. The experts who examined the carcasses of the different lots pronounced the meat produced on the corn ration very good, firm and solid. The carcasses from lot II, fed rice bran chiefly, were said to be very poor, soft, and thin. The meat produced by lot III, those fed largely on peanuts, was described as follows : " very poor, very soft and what we term oily ; the meat was very soft and flabby." The most obvious conclusions to be drawn from these results are : first, that an exclusive corn or rice bran ration is not economical ; second, that rice bran is at least equal to corn in feeding value ; and third, that so large a pro- portion of peanuts in the ration will seriously affect the quality and selling value of the meat. COWPEAS AND SOYBEANS The seeds of cowpea and soybean are rich in protein and are valuable, therefore, for balancing carbonaceous feeds like corn. Soybean seed usually contains more than 30 per cent protein, and cowpeas about 24 per cent. Cowpeas versus corn. In Table CLI are the results of pig-feeding experiments conducted at the Alabama Experiment Station in which the value of cowpeas as a whole and a partial substitute for corn was determined. The rations fed and the results 316 Pork Production are presented separately for each experiment. In all cases the corn and cowpeas were fed ground. TABLE CLI. — GROUND COWPEAS VERSUS CORN-MEAL FOR FATTENING PIGS TOTAL RATIONS, PROPOR- NUM- LENGTH OF EX- AVERAGE DAILY FEED EATEN STATION AND TIONS BY WEIGHT PERI- GAIN PER FOR EACH AUTHOR MENTS PlQ 100 LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib. Corn 4 .74 478 Ala. Bull. 143, J corn ) ^ cowpeas J 4 .93 395 Gray, Duggar, and Ridgway Corn 3 119 .46 487 Cowpeas 3 119 .59 481 Ala. Bull. 83 i corn 1 3 119 .62 433 Duggar \ cowpeas J Corn 3 70 .32 806 Ala. Bull. 93 \ corn 1 \ cowpeas j 3 70 .51 528 Duggar f sweet potatoes j \ cowpeas j 3 56 .39 1334 Ala. Bull. 93 \ corn { 3 56 .77 400 Duggar 2 cowpeas J In every instance the combination of corn and cowpeas gave better results than corn alone. The rate of gain on the corn rations averaged .506 pound daily, and on the ration of one-half cowpeas .686 pound daily, an in- crease of more than 35 per cent. Cowpeas alone did not give satisfactory results. While corn is excessively car- bonaceous for growing and fattening pigs, cowpeas are unnecessarily rich in protein when fed alone. From the nature of their composition, a combination of both would be expected to give better results than either alone. Where cowpeas are not grown extensively, a ration of 4 to 5 parts of corn to 1 of cowpeas would probably give Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 317 more economical results than when a larger proportion of peas is fed. Corn alone versus corn and soybeans. In Table CXIV, page 269, soybeans are shown to have practically the same value as linseed-oil meal in corn rations for fattening pigs. For further information, ex- periments comparing corn alone and corn and soybean meal are summarized in Table CLII. TABLE CLII. — CORN ALONE VERSUS CORN AND SOYBEAN MEAL1 (Av. 3 Exps.) RATIONS, PROPOR- TIONS BY WEIGHT TOTAL NUMBER OF PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EXPERI- MENT AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Corn-meal . . 26 days 56 Ib. 124 Ib. .95 Ib. 594. corn 3 57 corn-meal 1 soybean meal 26 56 125 130 345.4 corn 96.5 soybeans Fed against corn alone, the corn and soybean ration increased the rate of gain by more than J pound daily for each pig and reduced by 152 pounds the total amount of feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain. As fed in these experiments, 100 pounds of soybean meal with corn has the value of 257 pounds of corn when fed alone. COTTONSEED MEAL Cottonseed meal should be regarded by all swine-men as a highly dangerous feed. If given in limited amounts 1 Skinner, Ind. Exp. Sta. Bull. 108 ; Wheeler, Kans. Exp. Sta, Bull. 192 ; Good, Ky. Exp. Sta. Bull. 175. 318 Pork Production as a supplement to corn or other carbonaceous feeds, and for a limited period, usually not to exceed thirty or forty days, excellent results may be secured from its use. Din- widdie 1 expresses the conviction, with much experi- mental evidence to support it, that cottonseed meal can be fed indefinitely provided the amount does not exceed ^ pound daily for a pig weighing 50 to 75 pounds, or ^ pound daily for one weighing 75 to 100 pounds, or ^ pound daily for an animal weighing 100 to 150 pounds. Numerous experiments 2 have shown satisfactory and profitable results from the limited use of cottonseed meal for a short fattening period. On the other hand, other investigators after successive and continuous efforts to discover a practical and safe method of feeding it have announced with emphasis their conviction that cotton- seed or cottonseed meal could not be fed in any form, for even a limited period, without running a serious risk of loss. The following condensed statement by Henry and Morrison 3 may be accepted at this time as a reliable summing-up of the numerous and extensive studies which have been made of this feed by the experiment stations of the country : "As now prepared, cottonseed meal is poisonous to swine. All the various proposed ways for safely feeding this meal have failed under careful and continued tests. Pigs thrive at first on the meal, but usually in from 4 to 6 weeks some die — not all, as a rule, but so many that all possible profits from the use of this feed are lost. A few feeders continue to use the meal, experience enabling 1 Ark. Exp. Sta. Bull. 85. 2 Rommel, U. S. Dept. Agr. Bur. An. Ind., Bull. 47. 3 "Feeds and Feeding," 1915. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 319 them to avoid most of the losses. If cottonseed meal is not fed continuously for over 40 days and does not form over one-fourth of the ration, and if pigs are freely supplied with green forage or grazed on pasture, the risk from this feed is slight. It is considered safe to have pigs follow steers which are being fed cottonseed meal, for the meal does not seem to be poisonous after passing through the cattle. Care should always be taken that the steers do not throw so much meal out of the feed boxes that the pigs may be poisoned by eating such waste meal." Although a considerable number of pigs are commer- cially fattened every year on distillery slops as they come direct from the factory, the dried products are gen- erally to be regarded as not well adapted to swine. Dried distillers' and brewers' grains are high in their content of fiber, which is the principal reason why they are not suitable when fed in any quantity to growing and fatten- ing pigs. In addition, they are not very palatable. How- ever, they are nitrogenous, carrying as much as 23 to 27 per cent protein, and when fed in small proportions with corn, better results are usually obtained than from corn alone.1 MOLASSES To determine the possibility of partially substituting cane, or black-strap molasses for corn, Burns 2 conducted at the Texas Station a dry lot feeding experiment with three groups of pigs. This test was prompted by the increasing price of corn and the similarity in chemical i Ky. Exp. Sta., Bull. 190. 2 Bull. 131. 320 Pork Production composition of corn and molasses. The rations fed each lot and the results are reported in Table CLIII. TABLE CLIII. — BLACK-STRAP MOLASSES AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR CORN RATIONS, PROPOR- TIONS BY WEIGHT NUMBER OF PIGS LENGTH OF EX- PERI- MENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN 1 corn chops 1 molasses 8 days 91 a. 127 Ib. .90 Z6. 487 corn 466 molasses 3 corn chops 1 molasses 8 91 121 1.45 449 corn 145 molasses Corn chops 8 91 114 1.66 522 corn The results showed the ration of corn alone superior to either ration containing the molasses. The ration in which the smaller proportion of molasses was fed pro- duced faster and cheaper gains than the one containing the larger proportion. Since molasses is a carbonaceous feed like corn, all the rations lacked balance, or protein. Burns expressed his belief that molasses feeding would be attended with better results when a protein supplement like skim-milk or tankage is fed along with a combina- tion of corn and molasses. The results of an experiment by Clark 1 at the Utah Experiment Station would indicate that beet molasses may be fed with profit to fattening well-grown shotes. In this experiment rations containing sugar-beets, wet beet pulp, and molasses were fed with wheat shorts. The daily rations and the results are shown in Table CLIV. 1 Bull. 101. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 321 TABLE CLIV. — SUGAR-BEET MOLASSES FOR FATTENING WELL-GROWN SHOTES AVERAGE AVERAGE AVERAGE DAILY RATION OF Ex- INITIAL WEIGHT DAILY GAIN FOOD EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN PER PIG PER PIG days Ib. Ib. Ib. 7.6# shorts . . . 48 130 1.7 444 shorts 3.2# shorts . . . 268 shorts 8.3# sugar-beets . 48 130 1.2 697 sugar-beets 3.3# shorts . . . 275 shorts 12.3# wet beet pulp 48 130 1.2 1030 wet beet pulp 3# shorts . . . 186 shorts 9.4# wet beet pulp 600 wet beet pulp 4.4$ beet molasses 48 130 1.6 281 molasses The pigs given the beet molasses ration gained 22 per cent faster than those fed the same ration without the molasses, and almost as fast as those fed shorts alone. For producing a unit of gain, approximately 127 pounds of beet molasses had the value of 100 pounds of shorts. In the ration containing the sugar-beets, 396 pounds of beets proved equivalent to 100 pounds of shorts, while 609 pounds of the wet beet pulp was equal to 100 pounds of shorts. Beet molasses as fed by Clinton l at the Cornell Station was not very palatable and had a tendency to cause scours. KOOTS : TUBERS As a class, roots and tubers contain from 70 to more than 90 per cent of water. Because of this they are too bulky for fattening pigs except when fed in relatively i Bull. 199. 322 Pork Production small amounts and as adjuncts to a meal or grain ration. As a class, also, they are carbonaceous in nature. Most of those generally used for pig-feeding contain smaller proportions of protein than corn. The succulent quality of roots insures a laxative effect for the rations in which they are fed. This is the chief reason for their beneficial results when fed to breeding stock during seasons when pasture is not available. TABLE CLV. — VALUE OF ROOTS FOR FATTENING PIGS l (Av. 8 Exps.) AVERAGE DAILY RATION TOTAL NUM- BER PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EXPERI- MENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN 5.4# concentrates 38 days 88 tb. 90 Z6. 1.2 499 concentrates 3.6# concentrates 5.6# roots . . . 38 88 87 1.0 358 concentrates 631 roots Experimental studies to determine the value of the different roots for fattening pigs are more or less frag- mentary in extent, many of them being inconclusive so far as showing any considerable merit for these feeds. As a general proposition, it may be said that the addition of roots to a meal or grain ration does not hasten the rate of gain, but does result in a saving in the amount of meal or grain required to produce a unit of gain. This is shown by a compilation of experimental data by Henry and Morrison 2 shown in Table CLV. These figures 1 Clark, Utah Exp. Sta. BuU. 101; Lazenby, Ohio Rpt., 1884 ; Plumb and Van Norman, Ind. Exp. Sta. Bulls. 79 and 82 ; Robertson, Ottawa Exp. Farms, Rpt. 1891 ; Sanborn, Utah Rpt., 1891 ; Shaw, Mont. Exp. Sta. BuU. 27. 2 " Feeds and Feeding," 1915. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 323 represent the average results of eight experiments in which rations of concentrates alone were compared with the same rations with roots added. On the average, the 631 pounds of roots fed for each 100 pounds of gain saved 141 pounds of concentrates. This would give 447 pounds of roots the value of 100 pounds of concentrates. The roots fed did not contain an average of more than 15 per cent of dry matter, while the concentrates had about 90 per cent. In these experi- ments, then, 100 pounds of dry matter in roots had the value, approximately, of 134 pounds of dry matter in the form of concentrates. Sweet potatoes. In the South, sweet potatoes furnish a heavy yield of fairly palatable feed suitable for finishing pigs for market. The general practice is to allow the pigs to forage them during the fall and early winter. In order to secure satisfactory results, the pigs should receive in addition a fair allowance of grain. Since sweet potatoes contain extremely meager quantities of protein, best results are secured when the tubers are properly supplemented by the addition of a nitrogenous supplement. Earle and Orr x of the Alabama Station conducted a short experiment in which the sweet potatoes were har- vested by hand and fed to pigs confined to the dry lot. One group of pigs was fed corn and the other sweet potatoes with the results shown in Table CLVI. The sweet potatoes, hand-fed, did not give satisfac- tory results in this test, but the number of pigs in each lot was such that the results cannot be considered con- clusive. The authors of the experiment concluded that i Bull. 93. 324 Pork Production sweet potatoes could not be profitably grown, stored, and fed to pigs by hand. TABLE CLVI. — SWEET POTATOES, HAND-FED, VERSUS CORN RATIONS, PROPORTIONS BY WEIGHT NUMBER OF PIGS LENGTH op EX- PERIMENT AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN DRY MATTER EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN f sweet potatoes . i ground cowpeas 3 days 56 Z&. .391 Ib. 1334 ». 600 £ corn-meal . . | ground cowpeas 3 56 .775 400 360 That sweet potatoes will give fairly good results when the pigs are allowed to do the harvesting is indicated by an experiment by Newsman and Pickett 1 at the South Carolina Experiment Station. In this trial, pigs averag- ing 162 pounds at the beginning made an average daily gain of .86 pound on sweet potatoes alone, the experi- ment covering thirty-three days. In the same trial, a similar group of three pigs fed corn alone gained 1.39 pounds daily. The amount of feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain was 3245 pounds of sweet potatoes and 602 of corn respectively. The authors estimated the yield of sweet potatoes and concluded that one acre could be credited with 369 pounds of pork. At the Alabama Experiment Station, Duggar 2 fed two shotes grazing sweet potatoes a grain ration of 2 parts corn and 1 part ground cowpeas. In the thirty-three days of the trial, the pigs made 100 pounds of gain from 313 pounds of the grain mixture, which indicated only fair returns from the sweet potatoes eaten in addition. i Bull. 122. 2 Ibid., 122. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 325 Potatoes. When potatoes are extremely cheap, they may be fed profitably to fattening pigs if cooked and properly supple- mented. Potatoes are one of the feeds which require cooking. Raw potatoes are not eaten with relish and fail to maintain pigs when given alone.1 The necessity of feeding some nitrogenous supplement is shown by the fact that potatoes contain a smaller proportion of pro- tein than corn. The value of cooked potatoes for finishing well-grown shotes in the dry lot is indicated by the results of two experiments conducted at the Wisconsin Experiment Station by Henry.2 In each trial corn-meal alone was fed to one group of pigs, and a mixture of 1 part c<5rn- meal and 3 parts cooked potatoes to a second similar group. A minimum of water was used in cooking the potatoes so that none of the liquid was lost. The weight of the cooked potatoes with liquid just equaled that of the raw potatoes. The averaged results of these two experi- ments are shown in Table CLVII. TABLE CLVII. — COOKED POTATOES FOB FATTENING PIGS (Av. 2 Exps.) RATIONS, PROPORTIONS BY WEIGHT TOTAL NUM- BER OF PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EXPERI- MENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PlQ AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib. Ib. Corn-meal . 5 42 229 1.668 439 corn 1 corn-meal . . 262 corn 3 cooked potatoes 5 42 232 1.499 788 potatoes 1 Grisdale, Ottawa Exp. Farms, Bull. 57. 2 Wis. Exp. Sta., An. Rpt., 1890. 326 Pork Production The pigs were well grown and made unusually rapid gains considering that neither ration contained a protein supplement. In these experiments, 788 pounds of cooked potatoes had the effect of saving an average of 177 pounds of corn-meal, although reducing slightly the rate of gain. This would indicate that 445 pounds of cooked potatoes were equivalent in value to 100 pounds of corn-meal. The summarized results of all experiments made at Copenhagen (Denmark) Station by Fjord, and reported by Henry and Morrison,1 gave 400 pounds of cooked pota- toes the value of 100 pounds of mixed grain. Grisdale2 reports a fair quality of bacon produced from a ration of 100 pounds of cooked potatoes with 20 pounds of meal. Other roots. Sugar-beets and mangels are considered the best roots for swine-feeding in Canada and the western states. Grisdale 2 concludes that carrots are not as palatable nor as good keepers as mangels or suger-beets. Sugar- beets are more palatable than mangels, although the latter are especially recommended for brood sows. A good quality of bacon is produced on rations containing roots. Clark3 at the Montana Experiment Station found that pigs refused to eat turnips and rutabagas when fed raw. French 4 of the Oregon station found that 162-pound pigs failed to gain when grazed on artichokes and given no other feed. When the pigs were given a ration of ground wheat and oats, however, they made an average daily gain of .81 pound with an expenditure of 310 pounds of grain for each 100 pounds of gain made. 1 "Feeds and Feeding," 1915. 2 Ottawa Exp. Farms, Bull. 51. ' Bull. 27. 4 Ibid., 54. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 327 CONDIMENTAL STOCK FOODS Condimental stock foods or feeds, sometimes called proprietary stock foods, are usually mixtures made up of one or more common feed stuffs like wheat bran, wheat middlings, linseed-oil meal, dried blood, cottonseed meal, with a base, filler, or diluent of grain screenings, ground oat hulls, corncob meal, peat or peanut hulls, to which have been added certain condiments, herbs, and drugs, such as common salt, Epsom salts, Glauber's salts, gentian, charcoal, ginger, fenugreek, anise, saltpeter, copperas, as "tonics," "regulators," "appetizers," "conditioners," and so on.1 Experimental feeding trials. In view of the fact that the manufacturers of these products make large claims concerning their value when fed in rather minute quantities with the regular rations, and due to the fact, also, that their cost is high and their use quite common, a detailed study was made of all American and Canadian pig-feeding experiments in which various brands of stock-foods had been fed. In all, eight experiments have been made which involved the use of a total of 261 pigs averaging approximately 110 pounds when the trials began. The experiments were conducted under dry-lot conditions, excepting those made at the South Dakota Station. In two of these trials the pigs had access to limited areas of rape, and in one, both groups of pigs were on blue-grass. The length of the average feeding period was 77 days. The stock foods were purchased on the open market and fed in each case according to the manufacturer's directions. In Table 1 Jones and Proulx, Ind. Exp. Sta. Bulls. 177 and 216. 328 Pork Production CLVIII comparable results have been brought together so that the evidence furnished by these experiments would be more clear for practical interpretation. TABLE CLVIII. — SUMMARY : VALUE OF CONDIMENTAL STOCK FOODS FOR FATTENING PIGS RATIONS AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PEB PlQ TOTAL, FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN COST OP EACH 100 LB. GAIN NUMBER OF EX- PERIMENTS Grain alone . Ib. 1.152 Ib. 547 $5.07 Average 6 experiments Grain alone + Stock food . . 1.233 522 5.34 Balanced ration Balanced ration + Stock food . 1.315 1.243 404 409 3.49 4.47 Average 2 experiments Balanced ration 1.989 412 4.70 Average 2 experiments Grain alone -f- Stock food . . 1.496 550 5.74 The averaged results from the six experiments in which corn alone was compared to corn with a stock- food added, showed that the latter increased the rate of gain 7.03 per cent and reduced the total amount of feed (including the stock-food) required for a given gain by 4.57 per cent. The actual money cost of producing 100 pounds of gain, however, was 27 cents less for those fed the ration of corn alone. In two of the experiments, a balanced ration was com- pared with the same ration with a stock-food added. In this case the balanced ration without the stock-food pro- duced 5.79 per cent faster gains, required 1.22 per cent less feed for a unit of gain, and produced 100 pounds of increase at a saving of 98 cents. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 329 When a well-balanced ration was compared with one of corn alone with stock-food added, the balanced ration produced 32.95 per cent faster gains, required 25.09 per cent less feed to produce the same gain, and made a money charge of $1.04 less for producing 100 pounds of gain than the ration of corn and stock-food. It would appear, then, from these results that the addition of a stock-food to an unbalanced ration like corn alone for fattening pigs is hardly justified, even under assumed conditions in which no protein feeds are available. Although increasing perceptibly the rate of gain, the actual money cost of a unit of gain was increased 27 cents for every 100 pounds. The answer given by these results to the question whether it pays to feed a stock-food if the pigs are already receiving a balanced ration is clearly in the negative. The mere addition of a stock-food to such a ration seems to have the effect of reducing the rate of gain and increasing the cost. And finally, when a ration of corn and stock-food, which is altogether too common, is compared with a balanced ration of corn and a standard protein feed, the results are in wide contrast. They pointedly suggest that the money spent for stock-foods would be better used if invested in some good nitrogenous feeol of proven worth. So far as the evidence of actual experimental feeding tests is concerned, therefore, there seems to be no ground on which the use of condimental stock-foods for fatten- ing pigs can be justified in practice. Medicinal properties. Of the 101 drugs discovered in stock-foods and studied by Beal and Rose,1 68.7 per cent were found to have dis- 1 Purdue Univ. thesis, 1914. 330 Pork Production tinct medicinal properties. The other 31.3 per cent did not possess these properties worthy of mention. Of the former class, 41 had a tonic action, stimulating digestion and body vigor ; 20 had diuretic properties, i.e., stimulated the action of the kidneys; 18 were laxatives, promoting bowel action; 10 were vermifuges or worm expellants; and 8 were astringents. Street l of the New Jersey Station made a compre- hensive microscopical and chemical analysis of fifty different brands of condimental feeds and condition powders sold in New Jersey in 1904. From this study, and a review of the results of feeding experiments, he came to the following conclusions : 1. "A loss of appetite, or a run-down condition, in- duced by over-work or insufficient feed, may often be remedied by the use of a stimulating or tonic food, the ingredients for making which the feeder should always keep at hand. In the majority of cases simply a change of food will bring about the desired effect, but when this is ineffective a liberal use of common salt in the ration will generally prove beneficial. 2. "The claims of the manufacturers of condimental feeds, when not preposterous, are exaggerated and mislead- ing. No one feed, however skillfully compounded, can serve as a remedy for all ailments of all classes of live-stock. 3. "Instead of being prepared according to scientific formulas, as claimed, many of the condimental feeds are heterogeneous mixtures, with little regard to the require- ments of the animal, and in certain cases the drugs used have a counteracting effect on each other. 4. "Even where effective drugs have been used, the amount of the mixture to be given to the animal, accord- i Bull. 184. Corn Substitutes for Growing Pigs 331 ing to the instructions of the maunf acturers, is generally so small that no possible benefit can be expected from its use. 5. " Assuming that the condimental feeds are scientifi- cally prepared mixtures of useful and effective ingredients, and their use as directed would confer upon the animal the benefits claimed, their excessive cost would pro- hibit their use by the careful and economical feeder. Such ingredients, which they contain and which might be of benefit, any feeder can obtain and mix for at from one-tenth to one-twentieth the cost of the prepared foods. He would have the added advantage of knowing just what drugs he was administering to his animals and could give them such quantities of the needed medicines as veterinary experience has shown to be necessary." Effect on digestion. Stock foods do not improve the digestibility of the rations in which they are used, according to the results obtained in actual digestion trials by Michael and Ken- nedy at the Iowa Station.1 In this experiment four groups of pigs were fed. Corn alone was given to one lot, and corn and a stock-food to each of the other three lots. The effect of the stock-foods on the digestibility of the organic matter is shown in the following table : TABLE CLIX. — THE EFFECT OF STOCK-FOODS ON THE DI- GESTIBILITY OF CORN RATION FED PER CENT OP ORGANIC MATTER DIGESTED 89.84 ^Corn-f Standard stock-food .... Corn -f~ Iowa stock-food ... 89.74 89.60 Corn -j- International stock-food . . . 89.25 . 113. 332 Pork Production Conclusions. Growing and fattening pigs do not do well when re- stricted to a diet of straight corn, especially when con- fined to insanitary dry lots. Young pigs particularly lose condition, fail in appetite, and take on a more or less haggard and serious appearance. Neither do pigs do well when full of worms. Such pigs as these need the tonic of a balanced ration. Their digestive systems should be regulated by giving them access to forage crops in season, or by feeding a small amount of some feed possessing laxative properties, like linseed-oil meal or wheat bran. A reliable conditioner is obtained by a sensible combination of good feed and water and clean quarters. Worms can be dislodged more effectively by the use of standard veterinary formulas, given in proper sized doses, than by the use of a general corrector. The best appetizer is a healthy body, properly nourished on complete and well-balanced rations and free from internal or external parasites. Appetite is something which comes from within, and does not require artificial stimu- lation in a healthy animal, especially in a pig. CHAPTER XIV PREPARATION OF FEEDS AND METHODS OF FEEDING THE idea underlying the practice of grinding, shelling, soaking, or cooking feed for pigs is that the special prep- aration will result in improving its palatability, hence increasing consumption and hastening gains, or that it will insure more complete digestion, thus resulting in less waste of feed and greater economy of gains. But these special methods of preparation necessitate more or less expense for labor, machinery, and equipment. Before any method of preparation is justified, therefore, it must be shown that the increased rate and economy of gains which may result are sufficient to pay this extra feed cost. CORN Grinding corn. Numerous and extensive feeding experiments in which ground corn has been fed against ear and shelled corn have been made at the Wisconsin, Iowa, and Indiana Experiment stations. The advisability of grinding will be determined by a study of these results, the Wisconsin trials being considered first. In Table CLX appear the average results of ten years of experimental work at the Wisconsin Station 1 as com- i An. Rpt., Wis. Exp. Sta., 1906. 333 334 Pork Production piled by Henry and Morrison.1 A total of eighteen separate experiments, involving the use of 280 pigs, was involved in this study. The pigs averaged 175 pounds at the beginning of the trials, which covered feeding periods ranging from 63 to 98 days. The experiments were made during the winter and in each case old corn only was used. One lot of pigs was fed ground corn and another similar lot shelled corn. In all the experiments the corn was supplemented with wheat middlings in the ratio of 2 parts corn to 1 part wheat middlings. The shelled corn was fed alone and dry, and the middlings were mixed and fed wet with a small quantity of water. TABLE CLX. — GROUND CORN VERSUS SHELLED CORN FOR FATTENING PIGS (Av. 18 Exps.) RATIONS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG TOTAL GAIN ALL PIGS AVERAGE TOTAL FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Ib. Ib. Ib. Shelled corn and wheat middlings 175 13,828 501 Ground corn and wheat middlings 175 15,891 471 As a rule, these experiments were with large well-grown pigs fed to rather heavy weight. The averaged results show the rate of gain to have been increased practically 15 per cent by grinding, and the amount of feed required to produce 100 pounds of gain reduced practically 6 per cent. These results were quite consistently shown in the individual experiments. " Feeds and Feeding," p. 574. Preparation of Feeds 335 Soaking and grinding corn. Kennedy and Robbins 1 of the Iowa Experiment Station conducted a total of seven experiments in each of which four groups of pigs were fed on the following rations, dry ear-corn, soaked shelled corn, dry corn-meal (fed dry), and soaked corn-meal. The experiments were run during the summer and fall. Corn grown the preceding year was used, except in four of the trials when new corn was fed in the last part of the trials for an average period of 48 days. In four of the experiments the pigs had access to blue-grass and timothy lots, while in the other three they were confined to dry lots. In all cases except one, a small quantity of meat-meal was fed as a supplement. The results are averaged in Table CLXL TABLE CLXI. — GRINDING VERSUS OTHER METHODS OF PRE- PARING CORN FOR FATTENING PIGS (Av. 7 Exps.) RATIONS TOTAL NUMBER OF PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EXPERI- MENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG AVERAGE TOTAL FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Dry ear corn . . . 68 dayt 138 ». 103 tf>. 1.271 Jb. 445 3 Soaked shelled corn 2 68 138 103 1.353 441 Dry corn-meal . 68 138 103 ; 1.286 473 Soaked corn-meal 2 68 138 103 j 1.383 i 469 In these experiments, the unground corn gave better results than the shelled corn fed in the Wisconsin trials. Although the gains were not so rapid, less feed was required i Bull. 106. 2 Soaked 12 or 24 hours. J Calculated on the shelled-corn basis. 336 Pork Production to produce a unit of gain with ear-corn than with corn-meal either dry or soaked. A study of the individual experi- ments shows this to have been the case particularly when lighter pigs were fed. In four of the experiments in which 48-pound pigs were used, the gains were both more rapid and economical on ear-corn than on either ration containing corn-meal. Considering both rate and economy of gains, soaked shelled corn was the most profitable ration fed. Based on observations made during the progress of the experiments and the final results, the authors made the following deductions : Young pigs masticate whole corn more thoroughly than do older hogs. Young pigs do not relish dry corn-meal as do older hogs. Soaking corn is more advantageous for 200-pound hogs when on pasture than when in the dry lot. Shelled corn soaked twelve hours is better than that soaked twenty-four hours. Hogs under 200 pounds in weight made the most economi- cal gains when their corn was fed in the form of dry ear- corn, although shelled corn soaked in water twelve hours made slightly faster gains. Hogs over 200 pounds in weight made more economical gains on shelled corn soaked in water twelve hours than on dry ear-corn or corn-meal in either form, and the gains on soaked shelled corn were nearly as rapid as on any of the other forms in which corn was fed. The amount of corn saved by shelling and soaking for hogs of this weight varied from 4.1 per cent to 7.4 per cent, being highest for hogs on pasture. Ear-corn versus shelled corn versus ground corn. At the Indiana Experiment Station, King l conducted a series of eight feeding experiments during 1911 and 1 Proc. Am. Society Animal Production, 1914. Preparation of Feeds 337 1912 to determine the effect of shelling or grinding corn as influenced by the age or weight of the pigs fed. One group of pigs was fed dry ear-corn, another dry shelled corn, and a third corn-meal wet by pouring on water at feeding time. Each ration was balanced by feeding tank- age once daily in the form of a thin slop. In two of the experiments a small quantity of shorts was given with the tankage. The trials were conducted under dry lot conditions, the individual experiments being continued until all the pigs had attained approximate market weights. The average initial weight of the three lots of pigs fed in the different tests was as follows, — 52#, 56#, 86#, 102#, 156#, 159#,211#,and 218#, this variation being for the special purpose of affording a means of studying the effects of weight on the economy of the two methods of preparation. The average results of all eight experi- ments, shown in Table CLXII, will first be considered. TABLE CLXII. — GROUND CORN VERSUS SHELLED CORN VERSUS EAR-CORN FOR FATTENING PIGS (Av. 8 Exps.) RATIONS TOTAL NUMBER OP PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EXPERI- MENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG AVERAGE TOTAL FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib. Ib. Dry ear-corn . . . 67 113 130 1.237 431 ! Dry shelled corn . . 66 113 130 1.241 442 Wet corn-meal . . 67 113 130 1.364 416 The averaged results show that less feed was required for a unit of gain with ear-corn than with shelled corn, 1 Calculated on shelled basis, z 338 Pork Production the rate of gain being practically the same. Grinding the corn and feeding it wet had the effect of increasing the rate of gain 10 per cent over ear or shelled corn and of reducing by 4.7 per cent the amount of feed required for a unit of gain. General average results from grinding. Summarizing the results from all the Iowa and Indiana experiments in which dry ear-corn was compared with corn-meal fed wet or after soaking, the results appear in Table CLXIII. TABLE CLXIII. — SUMMARY : EAR-CORN VERSUS GROUND CORN FOR FATTENING PIGS (Av. 15 Exps.) RATIONS TOTAL NUMBER op PIGS AVERAGE LENGTH OF EX- PERIMENTS AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG AVERAGE TOTAL FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN days Ib. Ib. Ib. Dry ear-corn 135 125 117 1.253 437 Wet or soaked ground corn . 135 125 117 1.372 441 These results show that the rate of gain was increased 9.5 per cent by grinding and feeding the corn either wet or soaked. The amount of the ration required to pro- duce a unit of gain, however, was 9.1 per cent less for ear than for ground corn. If the average results of the eighteen trials at the Wis- consin Station, Table CLX, are included with these averages, it is found that grinding effected a saving of 3.09 per cent when compared with shelled corn or corn fed on the ear. These results, then, based on the averages Preparation of Feeds 339 of thirty-three experiments in which pigs of all ages and degrees of fatness were used, do not show a sufficient saving in feed by grinding to pay for the cost of the prep- aration. Value of grinding as affected by age and finish of pigs. The effect of grinding corn for pigs can be interpreted more accurately, however, if the results for the lighter pigs are placed in one group and those from the heavier animals in another. King arranged the results of the eight Indiana trials in this way as shown in Table CLXIV. TABLE CLXIV. — EFFECT OF WEIGHT AND CONDITION ON THE ECONOMY OF GRINDING CORN FOR FATTENING PIGS AVEKAGE AVERAGE TOTAL FEED INITIAL CONDITION OF DAILY EATEN FOR WEIGHT CORN FEED GAIN EACH 100 LB. PER PIG PER PIG GAIN Ib. Ib. Ib. First period Ear-corn .826 393 3 months 78 Shelled corn .806 398 Ground corn .826 393 Second period Ear-corn 1.263 444 3 months 180 Shelled corn 1.266 452 Ground corn 1.390 425 The percentage of feed saved by grinding during the two feeding periods is shown in Table CLXV. TABLE CLXV. — SHOWING PERCENTAGE OF FEED SAVED BY GRINDING FIRST PERIOD SECOND PERIOD Percentage saved Percentage saved over ear-corn over shelled corn 0 1.3 4.3 6.0 340 Pork Production It would appear from these results that growing and fattening pigs, up to a weight of about 150 pounds, do as well on unground as on ground corn. Pigs during the last three months of their market preparation, however, seem to gain faster and more economically on ground corn than on either ear or shelled corn. A study of the detailed results by successive months of these experi- ments shows that the heavier and fatter the pigs be- come, the greater is the advantage of grinding. This rule is also suggested and largely confirmed by the results of the Iowa experiments. General conclusions. The following general conclusions appear to be justified by all the experimental results considered : 1. There is no advantage in feeding dry shelled corn over ear-corn, so far as rate and economy of gains are concerned. 2. Pigs receiving shelled corn soaked twelve hours make faster gains with slightly less feed than do pigs fed ear-corn. This is particularly true for older pigs during the latter months of fattening and when they are on grass or forage crops. 3. Ear-corn or dry shelled corn will, as a rule, give as rapid and more economical gains with pigs weighing less than 150 pounds as will ground corn fed wet or soaked. Pigs weighing from 150 pounds up to market weights, how- ever, will usually gain faster with from 4 to 6 per cent less feed for a unit of gain, when on ground corn fed wet or soaked than when on ear or dry shelled corn. 4. When corn is ground, it should be wet or soaked before feeding. Dry corn-meal does not seem to be relished, especially by young pigs. Preparation of Feeds 341 5. Corn and cob-meal (ground ear-corn) is too bulky and hard to digest to make it at all suitable for growing or fattening pigs. 6. In general, pigs experience a temporary check in gains when for any reason a change is made from soaked or ground corn to ear-corn. The actual estimated cost of shelling and grinding a bushel of corn at the Iowa Station 1 in 1907 and 1908 was as follows : for shelling, 1 cent ; for shelling and grinding, 3 cents; for grinding fine corn and cob-meal, 6 cents. The charge made by mills for shelling and grinding corn at the present time (1918) is around 10 cents a bushel. SMALL GRAINS Grinding and soaking. When wheat, oats, rye, barley, kafir, milo, and other small grains are fed to pigs unground, a larger proportion passes through undigested than when whole corn is fed. For this reason and also because the whole small grains are not eaten with relish, experiments generally show a very much larger saving from grinding small grains than from grinding corn. In fact when grinding is at all possible, small grains should not, as a rule, be fed in any other condition. The ground grains may be expected to give better results, also, when given wet or soaked than when fed dry. When grinding is not possible, small hard grains should be soaked for at least twelve hours. These general conclusions are based on the results of feeding tests conducted at the various experiment stations of this country and Canada. After a thorough compila- i Bull. 106. 342 Pork Production tion of the experimental data available on this question in 1904, Rommel l concluded that approximately 12.26 per cent of the small grains is saved by grinding. Cooking. As the result of numerous practical feeding tests, it has been definitely established that the old-time practice of cooking feed for pigs is a detriment rather than a bene- fit. A compilation of the results of seventeen experiments by Henry and Morrison 2 in which corn, barley, peas, and various combinations of these were fed cooked and uncooked, showed in every instance but one an actual loss from cooking. The averaged results showed 100 pounds of uncooked grain equal to 114 pounds of cooked grain. Cooking feed for swine may be justified and even bene- ficial under certain special conditions, however. In fitting hogs for show, a few breeders believe that the highest condition of bloom is facilitated by cooking the feed, although, no doubt, the tendency is to exaggerate the benefits. Sick animals or those out of condition may be helped, also, by an occasional ration of cooked feeds. Proportion of water in slop. Although ground grains give a little better results when fed wet than dry, the proportion of water in the slop does not appear to be important except when excessive quanti- ties are supplied. This is indicated by the results of a trial made by Plumb and Van Norman 3 at the Indiana Station as shown in Table CLXVI. 1 Bur. An. Ind., U. S. Dept. Agr., Bull. 47. 2 " Feeds and Feeding," p, 576, 1915. 3 Bull. 8$. Preparation of Feeds 343 TABLE CLXVI. — THE EFFECT OF THE PROPORTION OF WATER IN THE SLOP NUMBER OF PIGS LENGTH OF EXPERI- MENT AVERAGE INITIAL WEIGHT PER PIG AVERAGE DAILY GAIN PER PIG FEED EATEN FOR EACH 100 LB. GAIN Corn-meal and days Ib. Ib. Ib. shorts (dry) 4 147 60 1.08 359 1 corn-meal and shorts 1 water . . . 4 147 59 1.10 380 1 corn-meal and shorts 2 water . . . 4 147 60 1.10 374 1 corn-meal and shorts 3 water . . . 4 147 60 1.05 375 In this experiment, slightly more economical results were obtained from the ration when fed dry than when given as a slop. The rate and economy of gains were not materially affected by increasing the proportion of water to dry feed from one to three. METHODS OF FEEDING Successful feeding of any class of live-stock involves not only the selection of a suitable combination of feeds, but also the application of the ration with judgment and a constant regard to the little things which may become large in importance if ignored. Hand feeding. The amount of the ration supplied at each feed merits special care when full rations are given. It is better to 344 Pork Production under-feed than to over-feed. In order to maintain a keen appetite, to avoid sour troughs, and to insure the most rapid gains and the fewest setbacks, a little less should be fed at each time than would actually be eaten. A good hog-raiser takes more time in feeding his pigs than is necessary merely to throw them their rations; he watches them eat and notes how they "clean up." When the weather is extremely hot, they will want less feed than when it is cool. Feeding three times a day is practicable when maximum gains are desired. When feeding limited rations, it is particularly impor- tant that ample trough room be provided so that every pig receives his share. This is especially true when the pigs are of unequal size. So far as practicable, the pig crop should be graded so that only those of about equal strength are together. Like most stock, pigs must be fed regularly if the best results are obtained. Careless methods and irregular habits on the part of the feeder are perhaps more often responsible for the failure of the pigs than almost any other factor. The pigs must be healthy and thrifty to respond properly to good rations. It is, therefore, of considerable importance when feeding a group of pigs to make certain that their supply of water is abundant, easily accessible, and pure, that they are free from worms and lice, and that their sleeping quarters are clean and comfortable. The self-feeder. This device makes it possible for the pigs to feed them- selves. The feeds are supplied in bulk or quantity suffi- cient to last several days or a week, the pigs being given their individual liberty to eat as often as they wish and as much at any time as their appetites dictate or their Preparation of Feeds 345 capacities permit. Compared with the ordinary' method of hand-feeding, the self-feeder makes two important changes : instead of receiving their feed in measured amounts and at regular intervals, the pigs have their individual freedom regarding both the time of eating and the amount consumed. In addition to these two features, the self-feeder intro- duces a third. The several feeds supplied in the self- feeder are usually placed in separate compartments, in consequence of which the pig is permitted free choice of the kind and amount of each feed. Corn or some other grain is placed in one compartment or feeder and a ni- trogenous or protein supplement in another. Frequently, also, charcoal, wood-ashes, lime, and salt are supplied in other compartments, mixed together or fed separately. In other words, this feature of the self-feeder gives each pig the opportunity of balancing his own ration. When the feeds are supplied separately in this way, the method of feeding is usually designated as "self-fed, free-choice," or "cafeteria" style. The common practice of hauling out on the pasture a wagon-load of ear-corn and then scooping out an allow- ance each day sufficient to keep feed before the pigs all the time, is in reality a type of self-feeding. Although a few hog-men can be found here and there who have practiced for many years the present method of self- feeding, its general use is comparatively recent. The present general interest had its beginning with the ex- perimental studies by Evvard at the Iowa Experiment Station and by Weaver at the Missouri Experiment Station, which were begun in 1914. Since then a number of other stations have undertaken and completed exten- sive tests of the self-feeding system. 346 Pork Production Self-feeding versus hand-feeding. In Table CLXVII the results of twenty-four separate comparisons of self-feeding and hand-feeding are sum- marized. These experiments were conducted at five different experiment stations x and involved the use of 433 pigs averaging approximately 70 pounds in weight when the trials began. On the average, the experiments covered a period of 101 days, the shortest being 42 and the longest 193 days. In eleven of the trials the pigs were on forage, and in thirteen in dry lots. In each case, the hand-fed pigs were given full rations and the propor- tion of supplements fed determined by the usual methods. In each case but one, the self-fed pigs were given their feeds in separate or individual compartments of the feeder. In this case corn was fed in one compartment and a mixture of middlings and tankage in the other, thus per- mitting only a partial "free-choice" in selecting the feeds. TABLE CLXVII. — SUMMARY : HAND-FEEDING VERSUS SELF- FEEDING (FREE CHOICE) (Av. of 23 Exps.) AVERAGE TOTAL AVERAGE AVERAGE AVERAGE TOTAL CONCEN- METHOD OF FEEDING NUM- BER OF LENGTH OF EXPERI- INITIAL WEIGHT DAILY GAIN TRATES CON- SUMED FOR PIGS 2 MENTS PER PIG PER PIG EACH 100 LB. GAINS days ft. Ib. Ib. Hand-fed . . . 217 101 71 1.260 395 Self-fed, free choice 216 101 71 1.375 390 1 Evvard and Dunn, Iowa Exp. Sta., Circ. letter; Weaver, Mo. Exp. Sta. Bui. 144; W. J. Carmichael, 111. Exp. Sta., Circ. letter; B. E. Carmichael and Robison, Ohio Exp. Sta., letter ; Snyder, Neb. Exp. Sta. Bull. 165. 8 Assuming five pigs in each lot of the Iowa experiments where number was not stated. 3 Wheat instead of corn was fed in one experiment. Preparation of Feeds 347 As a general rule, the self-fed pigs ate more and made faster gains than those which were hand-fed. In nine- teen of the trials, the self-fed pigs gained the faster, while in five the hand-fed pigs made the quickest gain. According to the summary table, the average daily gain of the self-fed pigs was more than 9 per cent faster than for the hand-fed animals. There was more difference in the rate of gain from the two methods of feeding than in the amount of feed re- quired to produce a given gain. On the average, the self- fed pigs ate 1.26 per cent less concentrates for a unit of gain than the hand-fed ones. In these trials a smaller proportion of tankage and shorts was eaten, also, by those receiving their rations in the self-feeder, "free-choice" style. These figures appear to supply rather convincing evi- dence in favor of the self-feeder when it is the intention to push the pigs for an early market. When the saving of labor is also considered, the practicability of this method of feeding would seem to be established, espe- cially when the feeds offered are the same as those sup- plied in the above experiments, corn, wheat middlings or shorts, and tankage. With these feeds at least the self-fed pigs ate no more of the expensive nitrogenous or protein supplements than was necessary to balance the corn. Also, the gains would indicate that their consumption of these feeds was ample in satisfying their body needs. That the appetite or instinct of the pig cannot always be depended on, however, to insure the minimum consumption of protein feeds for economy of gains, is also probably true. When the grain or other carbohydrate feed offered in a self-feeder is less palatable than the particular protein 348 Pork Production feed supplied, the tendency is for the pigs to consume a larger amount of the latter than is necessary for balance, or desirable from the standpoint of economy (see Table CXLV, page 306). This is particularly important when the grains are relatively cheap and protein supplements high. With corn as the principal carbohydrate feed, however, there will be little disposition on the part of the pig to eat more tankage or mill feeds than necessary to supply the necessary balance. Summary and conclusions. The important advantages of the self-feeding method of growing and fattening pigs for market may be enumer- ated as follows : 1. Self-fed pigs usually eat more and gain faster than do hand-fed pigs. This is perhaps its most valuable feature. 2. Pigs on self-feeders make as much gain from a given amount of feed as do hand-fed animals. 3. The self -feeding method is a labor-saver, especially for pigs which are out on pasture or forage crops. 4. When the carbohydrate and protein feeds are sup- plied in separate compartments, i.e., "free-choice" style, as is customary, the pigs may be depended on to eat sufficient protein to satisfy their physiological needs. When corn or other equally palatable carbonaceous feed is given, the pigs will eat no more of the expensive protein feeds than is necessary for balance or economy of gains. Few disadvantages attend the self-feeding method when used with judgment and care and when maximum gains are desired. However, a few points must be ob- served if the best or even satisfactory results are secured. 1. The self-feeding method is not adapted to the feed- Preparation of Feeds 349 ing of any class of swine v/hen rapid gains are not desired. The question of the adaptability of the self-feeder is largely one of the advisability of full feeding. 2. For satisfactory results in self-feeding, it is neces- sary that both carbonaceous and protein feeds be sup- plied, and that these feeds be palatable. If the carbo- hydrate feed is not well liked and the protein is expensive, it will be best to mix the two in the proper proportion, thus eliminating the "free-choice" feature. 3. The self-feeder does not relieve one of all the work or responsibility in feeding. The "feeder" should be visited daily. The spaces which regulate the flow of feed should be carefully adjusted so that no feed is wasted, all the compartments of the feeder must be kept open and feeding all the time, and the caked mud should be re- moved frequently from the troughs. The feeder should not be set in a mud hole, but rather on a concrete or board floor; and it should be located in the shade in summer and a warm protected place in winter. To make the self-feeding system for fattening pigs complete and most efficient, a feeder containing salt, charcoal, and wood- ashes or lime should be provided, especially when the pigs are confined to the dry lot. CHAPTER XV THE COST OF PRODUCING PORK IN this chapter are brought together the several deter- minations which have been made in the previous chapters on the feed costs of maintaining the breeding herd and growing and finishing the market pig. To these have been added the cost for labor, interest, depreciation and insurance on equipment, and other charges. With these data, the attempt has been made to determine the actual cost of production under corn-belt conditions. TABLE CLXVIII. — SHOWING THE COST OF PRODUCING THE FINISHED 225-PouND PIG EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF CORN RATIO BETWEEN SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT TOTAL COST FEED COST LABOR COST OTHER COST COST OP 100 LB. LIVE PORK AND THE PRICE OP A BUSHEL OP CORN A. When produced by gilts only, 5 pigs raised to the litter 25.91 18.24 2.03 5.64 11.51:1 bu. bu. bu. bu. B. When produced by mature sows kept until four years old, one lit- ter annually, 7 pigs raised to the Utter 25.29 18.05 1.62 5.62 11.24:1 bu. bu. bu. bu. 350 PLATE IX. — Above, Location of wholesale cuts of lard hog. 1. Head; 2. Shoulder; 3. Loin; 4. Belly; 5. Ham; below, Points of the hog; 1. Snout; 2. Eyes; 3. Face; 4. Ears; 5. Jowl; 6. Neck; 8. Foreleg; 9. Hindleg; 10. Breast; 11. Chest line; 12. Back; 13. Loin; 14. Side; 15. Tail; 16. Fore flank; 17. Hind flank; 18. Fore arm; 19. Rump; 20. Belly; 21. Ham; 22. Stifle; 23. Hock; 24. Pastern ; 25. Dewclaw ; 26. Foot. The Cost of Producing Pork 351 TABLE CLXVIII. — Continued RATIO BETWEEN SYSTEM OP MANAGEMENT TOTAL COST FEED COST LABOR COST OTHER COST COST OF 100 LB. LIVE PORK AND THE PRICE OP A BUSHEL OF CORN C. When produced by mature sows kept until four years old, three litters every two years after ma- turity, 7 pigs raised to the litter 24.58 17.73 1.47 5.38 10.93 : 1 bu. bu. bu. bu. D. When produced by mature sows kept until four years old, two litters annually after maturity, 7 pigs raised to the litter 24.16 17.56 1.37 5.23 10.74 : 1 bu. bu. bu. bu. The final result of these studies is summarized in Table CLXVIII, in which the cost of production is expressed in terms of corn. The methods employed in arriving at these results, and the data on which the determinations are based, appear in the following pages : I. Feed cost of growing and finishing the market pig (35-225 Ib.) : 1. With good forage crops, — (a) 760 feed units or pounds of concentrates © l^perlb $11.40 (6) One-fifteenth acre good forage @ $12.00 per acre 80 Total feed costs . .12.20 352 Pork Production 2. Under dry lot conditions, — 893 feed units or Ib. of concentrates @ \%i perlb $13.39 II. Other costs of growing and finishing the market pig: (a) Vaccination 75 (6) Interest on average value of pig for 8 mo. ($12 ©5%) 40 (c) Interest, depreciation and insurance on general equipment 2.00 (d) Risk of loss (2%) 24 Total other costs 3.39 Total feed and other costs of growing and finishing the market pig 15.59 To the above must be added the cost of the pig at weaning time. This will be influenced prin- cipally by the system of breeding followed and the number of pigs raised to the litter. WHEN PHODUCED BY GILT. AFTER WEANING HER LITTER GILT is FATTENED AND SOLD FOR PORK I. Feed cost of raising the sow pig to breeding age (35 to 200 Ib.) : (a) 577 feed units or pounds of concentrates @ 1M perlb $8.65 (6) One-fifteenth acre good forage @ $12.00 per acre 80 Total feed costs 9.45 II. Cost of feeding gilt from breeding to farrowing time (567 feed units or pounds of concentrates ®\U perlb.) 8.50 III. Cost of feeding sow (gilt) and nursing litter (713 feed units or pounds of concentrates @ 1 ty per Ib. ) 10. 70 IV. Other costs of raising gilt and maintaining her to 17 mo. of age : (a) Charge for sow pig (estimated) ..... 5.00 (&) Interest on average value of gilt (17 mo. @ 5%) 1.41 (c) Risk of loss (3%) 60 (d) Charge for vaccination 75 (e) Interest, depreciation, and insurance on gen- eral equipment 6.00 The Cost of Producing Pork 353 (/) Service fee $ 2.00 (0) Labor 10.00 Total other costs 25.76 Total feed plus other costs of litter, at weaning time 54.41 V. Value of gilt for pork (300 Ib. @ $9.08 per cwt. minus cost of 50 Ib. gain @ $7.53 per cwt.) . . 23.49 Total cost of weaned litter produced by gilt . . 30.92 The total cost of each pig would, therefore, be as follows : 1. With 4 pigs raised to the litter 7.73 • 2. " 5 " " " " " 6.18 3. " 6 " « « « ".,.... 5.15 4. " 7 " " 4.42 B WHEN PRODUCED BY MATURE Sows KEPT UNTIL FOUR YEARS OLD AND YIELDING ONE LITTER ANNUALLY. AFTER WEAN- ING HER FOURTH LITTER SHE is FATTENED AND SOLD FOR PORK I. Feed cost of raising the sow pig to breeding age (35-200 Ib.) $9.45 II. Cost of feeding gilt from breeding to farrowing time 8.50 III. Cost of feeding sow (gilt) and nursing litter . . 10.70 IV. Cost of feeding open yearling sow six months dur- ing summer (300 feed units or pounds of con- centrates @ 1%£ per Ib. plus pasture charge, $1.50) 6.00 V. Cost of feeding pregnant sow during three winters (1605 feed units or pounds of concentrates @ l^perlb.) 24.07 VI. Cost of feeding sow and three nursing litters (2377 feed units or pounds of concentrates @ 1%$ per Ib.) 35.66 VII. Cost of maintaining open sow during two summers of six mo. (98 feed units or pounds of concen- trates @ \H per Ib. plus $6.00 forage charge) . 7.47 VIII. Other costs of raising and maintaining brood sow four years : (a) Charge for sow pig (estimated) 5.00 (6) Four years interest on average value of sow ($40.00 @ 5%) 8.00 (c) Risk of loss (1 1 % annually) 2.40 (d) Charge for vaccination 75 2A 354 Pork Production (e) Interest, depreciation, and insurance on gen- eral equipment for four years $24.00 (/) Four service fees 8.00 (g} Labor for four years 40.00 Total feed plus other costs of four litters at weaning time 190.00 IX. Value of sow for pork (425 Ib. @ $8.78 per cwt. minus cost of 75 Ib. gain @ $7.87 per cwt.) . . 31.40 Total cost each weaned litter produced by mature sow raising one litter annually 39.65 The total cost of each weaned pig would, therefore, be as follows : 1. With 5 pigs raised to the litter 7.93 2. " 6 " " " " " 6.63 3. " 7 " " " " " 5.66 4. " 8 " " " " " 4.96 C WHEN PRODUCED BY MATURE Sows KEPT UNTIL FOUR YEARS OLD AND YIELDING THREE LITTERS EVERY Two YEARS AFTER MATURITY (TOTAL OF 5 LITTERS). AFTER WEAN- ING HER FIFTH LITTER SHE is FATTENED AND SOLD FOR PORK I. Feed cost of raising the sow pig to breeding age (35-200 Ib.) $9.45 II. Cost of feeding gilt from breeding to farrowing time 8.50 III. Cost of feeding the sow (gilt) and nursing litter . 10.70 IV. Cost of feeding open yearling sow six months dur- ing summer 6.00 V. Cost of feeding pregnant sow during three winters 24.07 VI. Cost of feeding pregnant sow during one summer (76 feed units or pounds of concentrates at \\$. per Ib. plus $3.00 pasture charge) 4.14 VII. Cost of feeding sow and four nursing litters (3170 feed units or pounds of concentrates @ I \i per Ib.) 47.55 VIII. Cost of maintaining open sow during one summer of six mo. (49 feed units or pounds of concen- trates @ \\i per Ib. plus $3.00 forage charge) . 3.73 IX. Other costs of raising and maintaining brood sow four years : (a) Charge for sow pig (estimated) 5.00 (6) Four years interest on average value of sow ($40 @ 5%) 8.00 The Cost of Producing Pork 355 (c) Risk of loss (If % annually) $ 2.80 (d) Charge for vaccination 75 (e) Interest, depreciation, and insurance on gen- eral equipment for four years 24.00 (/) Five service fees 10.00 (g) Labor for four years . 45.00 Total feed plus other costs of five litters at weaning time 209.69 X. Value of sow for pork 31.40 Total cost each weaned litter produced by mature sow raising three litters every two years after maturity 35.66 The total cost of each weaned pig would, therefore, be as follows : 1. With 5 pigs raised to the litter 7.13 2. " 6 " " " " " 5.94 3. " 7 " " " " " 5.07 4. " 8 " « « « » 4.46 D WHEN PRODUCED BY MATURE Sows KEPT UNTIL FOUR YEARS OLD AND YIELDING Two LITTERS EVERY YEAR AFTER MATURITY (TOTAL OF 6 LITTERS). AFTER WEANING HER SIXTH LITTER SHE is FATTENED AND SOLD FOR PORK I. Feed cost of raising the sow pig to breeding age (35-200 Ib.) $9.45 II. Cost of feeding gilt from breeding to farrowing time 8.50 III. Cost of feeding sow (gilt) and nursing litter . . 10.70 IV. Cost of feeding open yearling sow six months dur- ing the summer 6.00 V. Cost of feeding pregnant sow during three winters 24.07 VI. Cost of feeding pregnant sow during two summers (152 feed units or pounds of concentrates @ 1%£ per Ib. plus $6.00 pasture charge) 8.28 VII. Cost of feeding sow and five nursing litters (3962 feed units or pounds of concentrates @ 1 \ i per Ib.) 59.43 VIII. Other costs of raising and maintaining brood sow four years : (a) Charge for sow pig (estimated) 5.00 (6) Four years interest on average value of sow ($40.00 © 5%) 8.00 (c) Risk of loss (2% annually) 3.20 356 Pork Production (d) Charge for vaccination $ 0.75 (e) Interest, depreciation, and insurance on gen- eral equipment for four years 24.00 (/) Six service fees 12.00 (0) Labor for four years 50.00 Total feed plus other costs of six litters at wean- ing time 229.38 IX. Value of sow for pork 31.40 Total cost each weaned litter produced by mature sow raising two litters every year after matur- ity 33.00 The total cost of each wearied pig would, there- fore, be as follows : 1. With 5 pigs raised to the litter 6.60 2. " 6 " " " " " 5.50 3. " 7 " """"....«.. 4.71 1 " Q '* *' <( " " A 1O A summarized statement of the cost of the pigs at weaning time when produced according to these four systems of management is shown in Table CLXIX. TABLE CLXIX. — SHOWING ENTIRE COST OF THE INDIVIDUAL PIG AT WEANING TIME SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT NUMBER OF PIGS RAISED TO THE LITTER 45678 A. When produced by gilts only $7.73 $5.15 $4.42 B. When produced by mature sows kept until 4 yr. old, one litter annually . . . 7.93 6.61 5.66 $4.96 C. When produced by mature sows kept until 4 yr. old, three litters every two years after maturity 7.13 5.94 5.07 4.46 D. When produced by mature sows kept until 4 yr. old, two litters every year after maturity 6.60 5.50 4.71 4.12 The Cost of Producing Pork 357 Combining now the cost of growing and finishing the pig with the cost at weaning time, the entire cost of the finished 225-pound market pig is shown in Table CLXX. TABLE CLXX. — SHOWING THE ENTIRE COST OF THE FINISHED 225-PouND MARKET PIG SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT NUMBER OF PIGS RAISED TO THE LITTER 4 5 6 7 8 A. When produced by gilts only $23.32 or 10.36 per cwt. $21.77 or 9.67 per cwt. $20.74 or 9.21 per cwt. $20.01 or 8.89 per cwt. B. When produced by mature sows kept until four years old, one litter annually 23.52 or 10.45 per cwt. 22.20 or 9.86 per cwt. 21.25 or 9.44 per cwt. $20.55 or 9.13 per cwt. C. When produced by mature sows kept until four years old, three lit- ters every two years after maturity 22.72 or 10.09 per cwt. 21.53 or 9.57 per cwt. 20.66 or 9.18 per cwt. 20.05 or 8.91 per cwt. D. When produced by mature sows kept until four years old, two lit- ters annually after maturity 22.19 or 9.86 per cwt. 21.09 or 9.37 per cwt. 20.30 or 9.02 per cwt. 19.71 or 8.76 per cwt. Not all of the expense of producing pork is represented by the cost of the feed eaten. If the items of expense are grouped under the headings feed, labor, and other costs, the distribution will be as it appears in Table CLXXL 358 Pork Production TABLE CLXXI. — SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF COSTS IN PRO- DUCING THE FINISHED 225-PouND MARKET PIG SYSTEM OP MANAGEMENT FEED COST LABOR COST OTHER COSTS A. When produced by gilts only, 5 pigs raised to the litter . . . 70.39% 7.85% 21.76% B. When produced by mature sows kept until four years old, one litter annually, 7 pigs raised to the litter 71.35% 6.43% 22.22% C. When produced by mature sows kept until four years old, three litters every two years after maturity, 7 pigs raised to the litter 72.12% 6.00% 21.88% D. When produced by mature sows kept until four years old, two litters annually after matu- rity, 7 pigs raised to the litter . 72.66% 5.69% 21.65% In figuring the feed cost of producing the finished market pig, feed was charged at the rate of 1^ cents for each feed unit, or the equivalent of one pound of con- centrated feed such as corn. Charge for forage was at the comparable rate of $12 an acre. At this rate a bushel of corn would cost 84 cents. If it is assumed that the rates used in figuring the labor and other costs were about on a par with 84-cent corn, it would be possible to express the entire cost of the finished market pig in terms of corn. This has been done with the interesting result shown in Table CLXVIII. In this table is also shown the ratio between the actual cost of 100 pounds of finished pork on foot and the value of a bushel of corn as deter- mined by the results of this study. A ratio of 11.51 to 1, The Cost of Producing Pork 359 for example, means that the actual cost of producing 100 pounds of live hog was found to be equal to eleven and fifty-one hundredths times the cost of a bushel of corn, when the system of management used was as given in A. General observations. In interpreting the results of this study, it is important to note the systems of management employed, the methods of feeding practiced, and the prices charged for feed, labor, and other expenses. It is particularly important to recollect that the concentrated feeds were charged at the rate of Ij cents a pound, the roughages used having been reduced to their concentrate equivalents according to the valuations in the Scandinavian Feed Unit system. The conditions as a whole under which the experiments were conducted and on which these calculations were largely based were, no doubt, superior to the average farm condi- tions. Sows and pigs selected for experimental feeding must be thrifty and as uniform as possible in feeding qualities. This results in the exclusion of those indi- viduals which tend to pull down the average performance, or make the results from comparable groups less reliable. First-class forage crops were generally used also, and the number of pigs carried by each acre was large. On the other hand, the rations fed the brood sows were liberal and the charges for equipment and upkeep were un- doubtedly higher than on the average hog farm. Further- more, the good breeder may maintain a class of brood sows which will continue to be reliable breeders for a longer period than four years. On the whole, the condi- tions were probably comparable with the average of the best. 360 Pork Production The figures in the above tables afford an opportunity of comparing the cost of the finished market pig under four general systems of production. In making this comparison with the idea of determining the most profit- able system to follow, however, several important con- siderations should be made. The first is that the gilt does not produce nor raise, on the average, as large litters as the mature sow. The number of pigs farrowed normally increases up to and including the fourth litter (see Fig. 8, page 99). A second important fact is the impossibility of having as early pigs when gilts are exclusively depended on as when more mature sows are used. This means a later and usually a lower market for pigs farrowed by gilts. More important in the long run, probably, is the difficulty of improving, or even of main- taining, a high average of breeding performance when gilts only are employed. The exclusive use of gilts for the production of the pig crop sacrifices the opportunity of improving the herd by selection based on breeding performance. Too often, also, sole dependence on gilts results in a deterioration of the herd in size and feeding capacity. The figures emphasize strongly the importance of raising two litters every year from mature sows. Two litters every year after maturity resulted in an average reduc- tion of 45 cents a hundred in the cost of production as compared with the system of raising only one litter annually. Finally, the importance of the size of the litter as a factor in economy of production is strikingly emphasized by the results. With the smallest number of pigs to the litter, the average cost of production was practically $1.25 a hundredweight greater than when the largest number The Cost of Producing Pork 361 was produced, and the range of variation was only three pigs to the litter. On the whole, it would seem that large litters and reliable breeding qualities on the part of the female herd represent a point which merits special atten- tion in producing pork economically. CHAPTER XVI MARKETING AND MARKETS SUCCESS with hogs involves not only economical pro- duction, but also successful marketing. The responsibili- ties of the producer do not end until the finished market pigs pass over the scales into the possession of the buyer. Since the producer has to pay the bill, the cost of market- ing the live animal must be included with that of produc- tion before a determination of actual profits is possible. For the most successful marketing, one should have knowledge of the methods and cost of shipping, familiarity with the system of classifying and grading hogs at the large markets, an understanding of general market condi- tions, and the factors which affect the supply and price of hogs at the dominant market centers. A rather brief consideration will be given in this chapter to the more important features of each one of these points. MARKETING Three general methods or avenues are open to the farmer for disposing of his hogs; namely, through the large public stock yards and packing centers ; through the local butcher or small packer ; and in the form of farm or home-cured meats.1 The larger part of the hogs pro- 1 L. D. Hall, F. M. Simpson, and S. W. Doty : Rpt. 113, U. S. Dept. Agr. Meat Situation in the United States, Part V, " Costs and Methods of Marketing Livestock and Meats." All the figures given on marketing, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from this report. 362 Marketing and Markets 363 duced in the corn-belt find their way directly or indirectly to the large slaughtering or packing centers. In the cotton states, in New England, and the western range states, on the other hand, the hogs are generally disposed of locally to retail butchers, or slaughtered at home and the meat cured or sold in the carcass fresh. For the entire country, the Bureau of Census 1 gives the following estimates for all hogs slaughtered in 1909 : 63.6 per cent were killed in large slaughtering and meat packing estab- lishments, 7.5 per cent in retail slaughter houses, and 28.9 per cent on the farms where grown. Shipping. Of the hogs shipped from the corn-belt, 23 per cent is handled by the owners, while most of the remaining number is shipped by local dealers or shippers. In some districts, particularly in Minnesota, community live- stock shipping associations are performing a useful function in enabling the man with a few hogs to be inde- pendent of the local dealer or shipper and in giving him the advantages of a larger market at a minimum cost. Comparatively few hogs are purchased in the country by packer representatives or buyers. When practicable, it is advisable for the producer to ship his own hogs. He will be more certain to receive what his animals are worth on the market than he will by selling to a shipper. The average margin received by the local shipper or buyer for handling hogs in the principal pork-producing states in the corn-belt was 62 cents a hun- dredweight. Another important advantage in the farmer shipping his own hogs is the opportunity afforded for studying market requirements and the methods employed 1 Bull, of the 13th Census, 1910. 364 Pork Production by the packer in handling and disposing of the products. Most of the knowledge which can be gained at the large market centers is indispensable to the feeder in more correctly interpreting market conditions, for the most intelligent reading of market reports, and in knowing the weight and type of hog for which the highest prices are commonly paid in the different seasons of the year. In shipping hogs to market, every effort should be made to prevent abnormal shrink or loss in transit, and to arrive at the yards at a time and with the hogs in such condition that their most favorable presentation to the buyer will be assured. Unfortunately all the conditions which have much to do in guaranteeing these results are not under the control of the shipper ; the railroads and the weather play very important parts. The shipper can do much, however, to help avoid delays and prevent heavy shrink. The freight agent should be interviewed early and the cars ordered in time to insure their delivery when wanted. No very radical change should be made in the rations fed the hogs two or three days before loading. Hogs which have been on grass or forage, however, will shrink less if confined to the dry lot a week before shipping. Those which have been fed largely on slops should have their rations gradually changed to dry feed, mostly corn. Hogs ship much better when empty than when full of feed, especially in hot weather. They should not have their regular ration just before hauling to the shipping point. They should have a rest if possible before being loaded on to the cars. The advisability of feeding at the local shipping point before loading or while in transit should be determined by the distance to market. It is very doubtful whether much feed should be given the day of loading, however, if the hogs are due to arrive at the Marketing and Markets 365 market within twenty-four hours after leaving their home yards. The cars should be thoroughly cleaned before loading. Half rotted straw or manure should not be used for bedding, but clean straw in winter and preferably sand, if available, in summer. Sawdust, hay, cinders, gravel, and coal are also quite generally employed. Overloading in hot weather is fatal. They will ride better if the car is just comfortably full when the hogs are lying down. The average number of hogs to a car arriving at the Chicago yards in 1915 was seventy-six, and at Kansas City eighty-two. About 18 per cent of the stock cars owned by the railroads in 1908 were double- deck cars.1 In driving and loading, the hogs should not be hurried or excited. Crippled hogs sell at a discount of $1.00 a hundred. Marks and lumps on hogs, the result of kicks, beatings, or injury in loading or in transit, spoil the appear- ance and value of the carcass and affect the selling price proportionally. Because of the fright and worry caused by rough handling and jostlings while on the cars, the shipper should be prompt to protest against any unneces- sary switching and general rough treatment when stops are made and additional cars are taken on. In hot weather the hogs should be hosed as often as possible before loading and in transit. Facilities for this should be demanded at division points. If the haul is longer than thirty-six hours, the amended Federal twenty- eight-hour law requires that stock be unloaded for rest, feed and water, which frequently works a hardship on the shipper. An ingenious method of saving the hogs in 1 Frank Andrews : " Cost and Method of Transporting Meat Animals," U. S. Dept. Agr., Year Book, 1908. 366 Pork Production extremely hot weather is that of suspending from the car roof sacks containing large cakes of ice, the movements of the car being sufficient to distribute the cold drip. At some future time the railroads may equip their hog-cars with artificial sprinkling devices. Such an improvement would result in a tremendous saving during the hot months of the summer. In winter it is a good plan to protect the hogs from the cold winds by nailing a few strips of heavy building paper on the inside of the car, especially on the windward side. Selling. The responsibility of the commission firm to which the shipment has been consigned begins when the hogs arrive at the market. The employees of the stock yards com- pany and the commission firm's helpers, or yardmen, will see that the hogs are unloaded and yarded. After a short rest, the hogs should be watered and fed. A good fill is essential not only to reduce the natural shipping shrink, but also because the hogs will be more contented and rest better before the buyers begin to arrive. Unusual efforts to gain weight by an abnormal fill may reduce the shrink, but it will also have the effect of lowering the price bid. On the Chicago market, the seller has the privilege of saying when the hogs shall be weighed. As a conse- quence of this understanding between the buyer and seller, the hogs are put over the scales when in the judg- ment of the shipper and salesman they have eaten and drunk their fill and when further delay would mean a loss of weight. A good hosing when the weather is not too cold will help greatly in giving the hogs a better appearance. The owner should be with his hogs early and until they are sold and weighed, but the judgment of Marketing and Markets 367 his commission man should be largely depended on in all matters pertaining to their care and sale. Costs of marketing. The various items entering into the expense of shipping and selling a load of hogs at one of the large market centers may be grouped as follows : (1) cost of hauling to local shipping point ; (2) cost of loading on to car, includ- ing bedding and feed ; (3) freight ; (4) shrink ; (5) com- mission, yardage, feed, and the like. These costs of course vary widely, depending chiefly on the distance to market. The charges assigned below to each of these items are largely based on investigations made in 1909 and later by the Office of Markets and Rural Organization of the United States Department of Agriculture.1 1. Cost of hauling in wagon (average dis- tance of 5 miles) $1.44 per wagon load 2. Cost of loading on cars, including cost of bedding and feed 2.00 per car 3. Freight (maximum rates, single-deck cars, Central Association, Interstate Commerce ruling, Jan. 1915 ; mini- mum weight for single-deck cars, 17,000 pounds) (a) distance 100 miles . 13.22^ to 13.80 £ per cwt. (6) 200 ' (c) " 300 " (d) " 400 " (e) " 500 " 4. Shrink (estimated average) 16.96^to 18.11 j£ 19.84 £ to 20.99^ 22.71^ to 25.30^ 25.59^ to 28.17 1 3 per cent 5. Commission, (a) for single-deck car $ 8.00 per car (6) for double-deck car 12.00 " 6. Yardage 8i per head 7. Feed — corn $1.25 per bushel 1 L. D. Hall, F. M. Simpson, and S. W. Doty, Bull. 113. 368 Pork Production Assuming an average haul of 250 miles and seventy- six hogs to the car, the total cost of marketing would be $1.60 a head, or approximately 70 cents a hundredweight for a 225-pound hog. Shipping hogs by motor truck. The use of the motor truck for hauling hogs is an interesting recent development in marketing methods. A large proportion of the receipts at the smaller markets now come in by auto, covering distances often more than 100 miles. During the first six months of 1918, the num- ber of hogs arriving at the larger Omaha market numbered 92,780, equivalent to eight carloads for each market day. This was an increase of 180 per cent in the number marketed by this method over the corresponding period of 1917.1 MARKET CLASSES The daily run of hogs at any large market center, espe- cially in midsummer, is made up of individuals of all ages and weights, in all degrees of condition or finish, feeders and fat hogs, stags, old sows, boars, and pigs, as well as prime well-finished fat barrows. In handling such a mixture, some system of classification and grading is obviously necessary in order to facilitate trade and the accurate reporting of market prices. It is highly desir- able that the producer be acquainted with this classifica- tion and the standard trade terms used in connection with it. A correct interpretation of market reports is, in fact, impossible without it. The following outline of market classes is given by 1 Bur. Markets, U. S. Dept. Agr., News Letter, July 3, 1918. Marketing and Markets 369 Dietrich l as representative of the classifications made on the Chicago market and followed more or less closely at other centers. Primarily the classification is on the basis of the use to which the hogs are put by the packer, and secondarily, on a basis of weight : CLASSES SUB-CLASSES 1. Prime heavy hogs, 350-500 Ib None \ Heavy butchers, 280-350 Ib. 2. Butcher hogs, 180-350 Ib. < Medium butchers, 220-280 Ib. [ Light butchers, 180-220 Ib. f Heavy packing, 300-500 Ib. 3. Packing hogs, 200-500 Ib. \ Medium packing, 250-300 Ib. [ Mixed packing, 200-280 Ib. English, 160-220 Ib. 4. Light light, 125-150 Ib. 5. Pigs, 60-125 Ib. 6. Roughs 7. Stags 8. Boars Roasting pigs, 15-30 Ib. Feeders 9. Miscellaneous Governments Pen holders Dead hogs The hogs included in each one of these subclasses are graded according to their killing qualities as indicated by their form, condition, and quality. The terms used for grading are prime, for the best, choice, good, common, and inferior. The Prime Heavy class contains only one grade, prime. Butcher hogs and Bacon hogs are largely of the better grades, while Packing hogs, Light Mixed, and Light Lights range from inferior to good only in grades. 1 HI. Exp. Sta. Bull. 97. 2s 370 Pork Production Prime heavy hogs. As the name indicates, the hogs included in this class must be thick fat and heavier than is common. In addition they must be smooth and well finished. The class is largely made up of barrows, but a few "clear" sows (not seedy or shelly) may be included. They are sometimes designated as "Heavy Loin hogs," "Fat Backs," or merely "Prime Heavies." Owing to the increased cost of production and the growing tendency for the market to prefer the medium and lighter weights, comparatively few hogs are now fed to these weights. Most of the hogs in this class weigh from 350 to 400 pounds. Prime Heavy hogs dress on an average of 82 to 84 per cent chilled carcass to live weight, head on and leaf lard in.1 Chilled carcasses weigh about 2^ per cent less than green or warm carcasses. Hogs of this class are chiefly used for making heavy loins, fat backs, dry salt bellies, skinned hams, picnic hams, Boston butts and plates. With certain market demands, however, they are cut into the same products as heavy packing hogs. Butcher hogs. Hogs of this class weigh from 180 to 350 pounds, being redivided into the subclasses, heavy, medium, and light, according to their weight. In each of these subclasses they are designated prime, good, or common according to their killing qualities as indicated by their quality, condi- tion, and form. This class as a rule is largely made up of barrows from six to twelve months of age, although 1 The figures on dressing percentage of the different classes of hogs given in this section were supplied by Wilson & Co., Chicago. Marketing and Markets 371 "clear" young sows which have never produced pigs may be included. Medium to light weight butcher hogs are the most popular and highest selling hogs on the market. From 25 to 30 per cent of all hogs coming to the market are of this class. As the name suggests, butcher hogs are largely depended on to supply the demand for fresh pork. They are usually divided into the following cuts, — fresh loins, fat backs, Boston butts, New York shoulders, short cut hams, clear bellies, and extra clears. According to the records of Wilson and Company, butcher hogs kill out as follows : TABLE CLXXIL — AVERAGE DRESSED YIELDS OF BUTCHER HOGS LIVE WEIGHT CHILLED DRESSED WEIGHT, HEAD ON LEAP LARD IN CHILLED DRESSED WEIGHT, HEAD OFF LEAF LARD OUT Heavy butchers . Medium butchers Light butchers . 280-350 Ib. 220-280 Ib. 180-220 Ib. 80-82% 78-80% 77-97% 72-74% 70-72% 69-71% Packing hogs. Packing hogs may weigh all the way from 200 up to 500 pounds. As a class it is made up principally of sows which have done service as breeders. Extremely rough barrows, too coarse in quality to go as butcher hogs, and good stags, are also included in this class. The grades range from inferior to good. About 40 per cent of all the hogs coming to the Chicago market belong to this group. Packing hogs generally are deficient in quality and too heavy to be suitable for use as fresh or smoked meats. As the name indicates, they are ordinarily packed as 372 Pork Production barreled pork or dry salt meats, the hams being made into "short cuts" and the shoulders into picnic hams and Boston butts. They are usually dressed with the heads off and the leaf lard out. The following represents the average dressed yields : TABLE CLXXIII. — AVERAGE DRESSED YIELDS OF PACKING HOGS LIVE WEIGHT CHILLED DRESSED WEIGHT, HEAD ON LEAF LARD IN CHILLED DRESSED WEIGHT, HEAD OFF LEAF LARD Our Heavy packing hogs Medium packing hogs Light packing hogs 300-500 Ib. 250-300 Ib. 200-280 Ib. 81-83% 79-80% 77-78% 73-75% 71-72% 69-70% Sows which are "piggy" are sold subject to a dockage. In some markets it is the custom to apply a dockage of 20 to 40 pounds regardless of any signs of pregnancy. At the Chicago market, however, sows are not subject to dock unless they are noticeably advanced in pregnancy. Light hogs. This class is made up of young light weight barrows and "clear" sows, ranging in weight from 125 pounds, the minimum for Light Lights, to 220 pounds for the heavier- Light Mixed or Bacon hogs, and in age from five to eight months. Variations in type and condition are chiefly responsible for the three subclasses, Bacon hogs, Light Mixed, and Lights. In 1904 it was estimated that 15 per cent of all the hogs coming to the Chicago market were of this class. What are commonly termed "ship- pers" and "singers" are of this group. Marketing and Markets 373 The Bacon subclass includes all smooth barrows and "clear" sows of proper weight which approximate the bacon type. Since few hogs of strictly bacon type are produced in the corn-belt, the class is chiefly made up of medium to thin hogs of lard type breeding. The better hogs in this subclass go as English bacon, while those lacking somewhat in type and the proper condition classify as United States bacon. Bacon hogs are dressed either for English bacon or premium bacon and short or long cut hams and shoulders. The subclass, Light Mixed, contains a miscellaneous mixture similar, except as to weight, to the mixed packing subclass. Light Lights are similar to the Light Mixed except as to weight. These two subclasses are usually dressed with head on and leaf lard in and are principally shipped East and sold as fresh meat by the retail trade. Following is the average dressed yields of light hogs as reported by Wilson & Company : TABLE CLXXIV. — AVERAGE DRESSED YIELDS OF LIGHT HOGS LIVE WEIGHT CHILLED DRESSED WEIGHT, HEAD ON LEAP LARD IN CHILLED DRESSED WEIGHT, HEAD OFF LEAF LARD OUT Bacon hogs . Light mixed hogs . Extra light . . . Shipper hogs . . 160-220 Ib. 150-220 Ib. 125-150 Ib. 100-200 Ib. 76-77% 75-76% 74-75% 72-76% 68-69% 67-68% 66-67% 64-68% Pigs. This class includes pigs which weigh 60 to 125 pounds. With more weight and finish they would be butcher hogs. Pigs are too young to furnish meat which will cure well, 374 Pork Production and are generally sold by the packer to retail dealers who dispose of the carcasses in the form of chops, boiling pieces, and other fresh cuts, the trimmings being used for sausage. It is estimated that around 10 per cent of all the hogs coming to the Chicago market are of this class. With the general use of hog cholera serum, many of the thin pigs which now come to market find their way im- mediately to the feeding plant of the professional feeder. Pigs dress out about as follows : TABLE CLXXV. — AVERAGE DRESSED YIELD OF PIGS LIVE WEIGHT CHILLED DRESSED WEIGHT, HEAD ON LEAP LARD IN Shipper pigs 20-100 Ib. 62-72 % Roughs. A few hogs coming to market are so inferior in form, condition, and quality that they cannot be included even with the poorer grades of packing hogs and are given the descriptive name, Roughs. The meat is very coarse in quality and is used by the cheaper trade for both packing and fresh meat purposes. Stags. Stags are castrated boars and sell with a dockage of 80 pounds. Due to the dock and their heavy weight and high condition, the quoted prices for stags are sometimes as high as for packing and even butcher hogs. A dockage of 80 pounds on a 480-pound stag is equivalent to a reduc- tion of If cents a pound when stags are quoted at $10 a hundredweight. If not too staggy in appearance, they Marketing and Markets 375 may sell in the packing class. Their carcasses are usually disposed of in the same manner as those of packing hogs. Boars. Boars are sold without dockage, due to which, together with the coarse quality and strong flavor of some of the meat, they sell from $4 to $5 a hundred less than the better classes. The pork is largely used for the manu- facture of sausage. Due to their low selling price, it is more profitable for the farmer to castrate the boars, then fatten and sell as stags, than it is to sell them entire. Miscellaneous classes. Roasting pigs usually weigh from 15 to 30 pounds and are dressed with head and feet on. During the holiday season they may sell at fancy prices, being handled very much in the same way as poultry. At other seasons they sell at a sacrifice to the grower. Although the larger number of pigs now handled as Feeders do not pass through the stockyard centers, never- theless the number found here in the summer and fall has greatly increased during the last few years. It is a class which is beginning to assume considerable impor- tance. Governments are hogs which have failed to pass the first government inspection, which occurs before the hogs are weighed. They show evidence of sickness or unsoundness which require them to be slaughtered under special inspec- tion. If the carcass is found to be unsafe for human food, it is condemned and tanked, the products being used in the manufacture of grease and fertilizers. Dead hogs which arrive at the yards amount to about .40 per cent of the receipts. These hogs are tanked under 376 Pork Production the supervision of a government inspector and the products disposed of to the manufacturers of soap, grease, and fertilizers. SUPPLY AND PRICE FLUCTUATIONS AND THEIR USUAL CAUSES Like any other commodity bought and sold on the open market, the price of hogs in general is the reaction of the demand for pork on the supply of hogs. According to this law of supply and demand, when the supply of hogs increases and the demand for pork remains constant the price goes down ; and when the supply decreases and the demand is constant the price rises. In the same way, when the supply of hogs is constant, an increase in the de- mand for pork tends to increase the price, while a falling off in the demand tends to lower the price. These are the natural and inevitable results when the market is open and competition among buyers is free. In the following pages, a brief analysis is made of the principal factors which affected the supply and price of hogs on the Chicago market, during the ten-year period from 1905 to 1914 inclusive. The Chicago market is selected for this study because it is the largest and because the prices paid there, with freight rates, determine the prices paid at other market centers. Its dominant position is shown by the fact that practically 28 per cent of all the hogs received at the fourteen principal markets of the country in 1915 was credited to the Chicago yards. The receipts at the different markets were as follows : 1 1 Chicago Daily Farmers' and Drovers' Journal, Year Book of Figures, 1917. Marketing and Markets 377 MARKET RECEIPTS MARKET RECEIPTS Chicago . . Omaha . . St. Louis Kansas City Indianapolis St. Paul . . East Buffalo 7,652,071 2,642,973 2,591,768 2,530,730 2,435,319 2,155,201 1,769,920 Sioux City . St. Joseph Milwaukee Oklahoma City Wichita . . Fort Worth . Denver . . 1,768,818 1,697,842 583,071 484,842 479,469 463,879 343,653 Monthly variations in the supply. In Fig. 13 curves are plotted which show graphically the actual supply of hogs by months for each of the ten years and the average monthly supply for the entire ten- year period. These curves have two rather significant features. The curves for the different years are remark- ably uniform in their direction, and in practically every year the period of heavy runs falls in December and January and the light runs in April and September. From September on to January, the supply rises rapidly and regularly. It will now be considered why the supply of hogs varies from month to month throughout the year. The uniform- ity in the direction of the curves for the different individual years suggests the probability that these seasonal varia- tions are the result of factors which are quite constant from year to year. The heavy run of hogs which is common in December, January, and February is due to the fact that this is the normal time for the marketing of pigs farrowed the pre- ceding spring. About 75 per cent of the hogs coming to the Chicago market are spring or summer farrowed. In 1916 the Bureau of Crop Estimates reported that 60 per cent of the pigs born each year are farrowed in March, April, and May. The general practice is to feed old corn 378 Pork Production Marketing and Markets 379 rather sparingly during the summer and to depend largely on the cheaper new corn for most of the gains. As shown in Fig. 11, page 215, the price of corn is highest in August and September and lowest in December, January, and February. In addition to the effect of cheap corn, the use of pigs for hogging-down corn and for following cattle during the winter tend to retard the marketing of the previous spring crop. The supply from January to April rapidly and quite regularly diminishes under normal conditions. This is the natural result of the heavy liquidations taking place in the preceding months. The low run during April is the logical consequence of the effort to reduce stock be- fore the assessor arrives, the readjustments required on rented farms at moving time, and the desire to sell all marketable stock before the rush of spring work com- mences. Fall pigs are normally ready for market in May and June and hence the rise in the supply during these months. This is the time also when the culls from the breeding herd begin to arrive following a brief period of fattening. The risk of loss from shipping in hot weather and the in- creasing scarcity and price of corn are also important factors resulting in a larger supply during the early summer and a consequent diminishing supply from June to Septem- ber. A study of the individual supply curves shows few varia- tions from the average. Such differences which are to be noted are usually the result of special conditions or influ- ences which tend to effect a change of plan from the regu- lar time of marketing. The following are some of the more common of these influences : a partial failure of the corn crop over a considerable area of the corn-belt ; the present 380 Pork Production and prospective price of corn and hogs ; cholera epidemics ; difficulty of obtaining cars for shipments ; unusual weather conditions ; strikes and labor troubles at the large indus- trial centers. From the standpoint of the packers, a more uniform supply of hogs from month to month throughout the year would make possible greater efficiency and economy in handling the pork products. Their labor would be more regularly employed, the capacity of their plants would be greatly increased, and more reliable service by the railroads in distributing their products would be assured. Since the perfection of refrigeration, in 1880, the packers are in position to handle as many hogs in summer as in winter. In the interests of the farmer, a more uniform supply of hogs on the market throughout the year would give the packers and other buying agents less power over the market. When the large runs accumulate in December and January, the opportunity to break the market is a chance which the buyers do not neglect. The result is that the bulk of the packers' supplies are purchased when the runs are heaviest and the prices lowest. Since supplies during the summer are relatively light, the buyer pays high prices for hogs only when his purchases are fewest. These are advantages which the packers would not enjoy if the monthly runs were more uniform. The conditions on the farms where the hogs are produced and raised for market do not promise, however, any radical change in time of marketing. There are a few tendencies however, which operate in that direction. A larger number of February and March pigs are being produced now than formerly ; the use of the self-feeder in growing and fatten- ing market pigs is becoming more general ; there is an in- Marketing and Markets 381 creasing appreciation of the value of forage crops; and the number of fall pigs produced is increasing. The effect of these influences will tend to equalize somewhat the summer and winter receipts. Variations in the daily supply. A prominent feature at the large central markets is the tendency for the week's shipments to accumulate and fall on Mondays and Wednesdays. In 1915 the hogs arriving at the Chicago yards were distributed throughout the week as follows : * on Mondays, 24 per cent ; on Tuesdays, 14 ; on Wednesdays, 23; on Thursdays, 19; on Fridays, 13; and on Saturdays, 4. In the case of cattle, there was even a greater tendency for congestion on Mondays and Wednesdays. It is generally conceded by both buyers and commission men that the market would be less erratic if shipments were more uniformly distributed throughout the first five working days of the week, and that there would be a large saving from increased efficiency in handling the stock at the yards and packing plants. From the shipper's viewpoint, there is no question but that a more regular supply would be advantageous. Sharp breaks in the mar- ket, the evil result of glutted yards, would be less frequent and a more stable market result. The custom of loading for the Monday and Wednesday markets seems to have been due to the failure of the rail- roads to provide through service for large shipments on other days. The packer suffered from the same restric- tions in getting the products to "his numerous distributing centers and to seaboard ports. To correct the evils grow- 1 Bur. Crop Estimates, U. S. Dept. Agr., Monthly Crop Rpt., Vol. 2, 1916. 382 Pork Production ing out of this custom, the Bureau of Markets of the United States Department of Agriculture, on the au- thority granted by Congress, inaugurated for the war period the zone system of loading for stock consigned to the Chicago market. This regulation went into effect December 10, 1917. The effect of this control on the distribution of receipts of hogs and cattle throughout the week is indicated by the figures in Table CLXXVI. TABL3 CLXXVI. — AVERAGE PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OP WEEKLY RECEIPTS, MARCH 11 TO JUNE 15, 1918 YEAR MON. TUES. WED. THURS. FRI. SAT. Cattle 1917 35.2 10.4 37.0 11.6 4.3 1.5 1918 29.4 24.3 11.9 21.9 9.1 3.4 Hogs 1917 31.3 10.6 21.6 16.0 13.1 7.4 1918 29.1 16.1 12.6 18.7 16.1 7.4 That the better distribution of receipts did not in the earlier stages of this regulation bring about a more stable market was no doubt due to the very abnormal conditions created by the war, and more particularly to the irregu- larity with which the buying orders for the Government and Allies were put into the hands of the packers. Variations in the yearly supply. Reference to Fig. 17 will show the variations in the re- ceipts of hogs on the Chicago market which are common from year to year. It is to be noted that years of heavy supply tend both to be preceded and followed by years of light supply. It would appear that periods of heavy and light production are separated by intervals of two to three Marketing and Markete 383 years ; and that years of high production tend to succeed one another every four to five years. The chief cause of these yearly fluctuations is, no doubt, the relation between the price of corn and that of hogs. In other words, the chief stimulant to increased production is to be found in the profits derived by the producer the preceding year. Increased production tends to follow the year when the price of hogs is high compared with the price of corn. In 1908 the price of corn was high and the price of hogs low. The effect on production is shown by a reduction of a million and a half head in the receipts in 1909, followed by another million in 1910. In 1910 hogs were high and corn relatively cheap. The result was a greatly increased production in 1911. According to the report of the commission appointed by the Food Administration to investigate the cost of producing hogs,1 the average ratio between the price of hogs a hundredweight and the price of corn a bushel was 11.67 for the ten-year period from 1907 to 1916 inclusive.2 During this period, in other words, 100 pounds of live hogs sold for 11.67 times as much as a bushel of No. 2 corn on the Chicago market. The recommendations of this committee were based on the ascertained principle that when a ratio less than 11.67 exists between the price of hogs and that of the corn which was fed into them, production is discouraged and the supply reduced; and when a wider ratio than 11.67 exists, production is stimulated and the supply of hogs increases. 1 John M. Eward, Lawrence P. Funk, N. H. Gentry, W. A. Williams, J. H. Skinner, Tait Butler, E. W. Burdie. 2 This method of determining cost of production was sug- gested by the previous studies of "Wallaces' Farmer" of Des Moines, Iowa, 384 Pork Production Weight as a factor in supply. The variations in the average weight of hogs by months throughout the year for the twelve-year period from 1905 to 1916 inclusive are seen in Fig. 14. From January to August the weight quite regularly increases, and from August to November there is a rapid decline in weight. During November and December the weights are light because the receipts are largely made up of spring pigs, 250, *L -I*1 r / / ^ \ t 0 ^220 •J O <2/0 K g **ZOC J X x^ \ \ +^ s \ ^•^••i dAM. Fes MAR APR A/AV Jt/*e Juw. AUG. «5epr OCT. No* DEC. FIG. 14. Average monthly variations in the weight of hogs on the Chicago market from 1905 to 1916. many of which are not finished. From January on the weight increases as the age of the pigs marketed increases. June weights, on the average, are no heavier than May weights, probably because of a large proportion of fall pigs. The extra heavy weights during the late summer and early fall are largely due to the marketing of old sows and stags and well-finished fall pigs. The rapid decline in weight during the fall is largely to be explained by the Marketing and Markets 385 light weight of the first marketed spring pigs, many of which havebeen rushed to market because of cholera scares. As it happens, the average weight of the hogs marketed is heaviest in those months when the receipts are lightest. The variations in weight, therefore, tend to equalize the supply of hogs during the different months of the year. As shown in Fig. 15, the average weight of market hogs varies widely from year to year. The principal factor o O >/ 'lZ 'A3 '/4 '/5 . '/6 FIG. 15. — Average annual weight of hogs on the Chicago market from 1905 to 1916. responsible for this is the relation which exists between the price of corn and that of hogs. When hogs are high and corn relatively cheap, every pig in the corn-belt will be held and fed to full market weight ; and on the other hand, when hogs are cheap and corn high and rising, the natural result is that the pigs are sent to market in an unfinished condition and the corn sold for cash. The record annual weight of hogs marketed in 1910 is a striking illustration 2c 386 Pork Production of this principle. High absolute prices for corn seem to cause the marketing of unfinished pigs, even though the price of hogs for the time being is correspondingly high. From year to year, weights average lowest in those years when the receipts are highest. The factor of weight, con- sequently, tends to equalize the supply from year to year, as it does from month to month. Seasonal variations in price. The average prices paid for light and heavy hogs by months on the Chicago market during the ten-year period from 1905 to 1914 inclusive, are shown graphically in Fig. 16. The average supply curve is also given for pur- poses of comparison. According to these curves for light and heavy hogs, hogs sell highest in September and April and lowest in December and January. Winter prices are relatively low and summer prices high. The more im- portant of the causes responsible for these typical price variations throughout the year will now be considered. That an intimate relationship exists between the price of hogs in any month and the supply, is clearly apparent on a comparison of the price and supply curves in Fig. 16. The price of hogs is highest, on the average, in those months when the average supply is lowest ; and when the supply is heaviest, the price is lowest. Exceptions to this rule are occasionally to be found, of course, in indi- vidual months, notably, for example, during the closing months of 1909 and the early months of 1911. The ex- ceptions, however, are temporary and more apparent than real. In the long run, a deficiency in the supply of live hogs is bound to increase prices, while a surplus of live hogs is certain to reduce them. In the summer and early fall, heavy weight hogs pre- Marketing and Markets 387 dominate on the market, particularly during July, August and September ; and in the winter light weights predomi- nate. In addition, the packer's demand is for heavy hogs in winter and for light hogs in summer. The effect of both supply and demand, therefore, is to cause light hogs THOUSANDS. LIGHT Moss Hc/w '6.** JAN. Fes. MAR. APR. MAY. JUNE. .«Ji/z.v. AUG. ***« OCT. Nov. DEC. FIG. 16. — Curves showing the average monthly price of light and heavy hogs on the Chicago market from 1905 to 1914. to sell at a premium during the summer, and heavy hogs at a premium in the winter. The supply of hogs on the market for any month, how- ever, is not the only factor influencing the price : the de- mand for pork is also to be reckoned with. As a general proposition, it may be said that consumption of pork is heavier in winter than in summer. When the general economic conditions are constant throughout the year, and the price of pork normal, variations in demand and 388 Pork Production consumption in the different months are largely the result of temperature. The prosperity of the southern farmer, or the condition of the cotton crop, is an important factor influencing the demand for pork during the summer. The effect of general economic conditions, and the price of pork, is to influence the demand, but quite independent of any given season. Prices of dressed hogs, and wholesale and retail cuts, seem to follow quite closely the price- of hogs. As a rule, a rise or fall in the price of live hogs is followed in one or two months by a rise or fall in the price of fresh pork cuts. Prices of cured products, smoked hams and bacon, and the products on which futures are bought and sold on the board of trade, short ribs, mess pork, and lard, follow the general trend of live hog prices, but are less sensitive to the seasonal fluctuations than are the fresh cuts.1 Yearly variations in price. In Fig. 17 the average annual price of hogs on the Chicago market is shown by a plotted curve for the years from 1905 to 1916 inclusive. The supply curve for the same period of time is also shown. At the bottom of the figure the average price of No. 2 cash corn on the Chicago market is indicated for each year. Like the supply, the price of hogs is subject to wide fluctuations from year to year. Under normal conditions, years of high prices tend to be preceded and followed by years of low prices. That variation in supply is the chief and fundamental factor which determines the average price of hogs from 1 L. D. Hall, F. M. Simpson, and S. W. Doty : "Methods and Cost of Marketing Livestock and Meats," U. S. Dept. Agr., Rpt. 113. Marketing and Markets 389 year to year seems to be conclusively shown by these curves. From 1905 to 1911, the direction of the supply and price curves is in exact opposition. In 1916 a marked increase in both receipts and price is noted, due to the greatly increased demand occasioned by war. The general demand for pork products exerts an im- portant influence on the price of hogs from year to year. MILLIONS. PER CWT. SUPPLY CURVC " ^ g ° I 0 r / \ ^_ _,^ o I fc fl J t \ / *- '& t SUPPJ.Y < si C X >• !• / \ t \ \ \ -T^ ^ \ V / 0 y ^ ^ > / 1 rf 1 ^*<< » \ lU - CD 6 <, 5 / ^^ < \ / K r f z ( * ^ Y2*R. 'OS '06 *O7 '08 tO VO '// '/2 '/3 '/4 '/5 */6 No.Z SOt 4&i <53* 6Q* 67* ^Q* 53* 63* 62^ 7O* 734 Q34 FIG. 17. — Curves showing the average annual price and supply of hogs on the Chicago market from 1905 to 1916. The effect of the rapid increase in the population of the country has been to reduce the per capita number of swine. For many years there has been a steady and persistent decline in the number of swine per capita of the popula- tion. In 1840 it was 1.54 hogs per capita, and in 1910, .75. The effect of this growing shortage is in the direction of higher prices. 300 Pork Production The most important factor in the demand for any year is probably to be found in the general economic conditions which prevail throughout the country. More pork is eaten when business is good, when labor is regularly em- ployed and well paid, than when times are hard and labor employment is uncertain and wages low. Another fact which exerts an important influence on demands is that more pork is eaten when the price is relatively low than when it is high. The maximum price of pork is ordinarily limited just below the point where the average consumer cannot afford to eat it. CHAPTER XVII JUDGING A GOOD judge of hogs possesses the most valuable asset necessary for success as a breeder. The breeder or feeder who is not a reliable judge cannot succeed in the hog busi- ness regardless of the advantages he may enjoy in equip- ment, financial backing, or other favorable conditions. Good judges, however, are not born as such, and the in- dividual must have training and experience before he is competent. An important part of the training necessary consists in gaining an appreciation of the essential duties or func- tions which the different classes of hogs have to perform. The best finished fat barrow, for example, is the one which not only has been a good feeder, but which will dress out the most profitably as a killer. A knowledge of the butcher's requirements is necessary as a foundation for the formation of correct ideas of the fat or bacon hog type. For the same reason, the ideal of brood sow type should be based on an experienced understanding of the work she has to do. Any conception of type which is not consistent with reliable breeding performance is fatal to the future of the herd or breed. An appreciation of this fundamental principle is important, for it will promote stability of judgment and reasonable independence towards temporary fads and the demands for extremes in type. 391 392 Pork Production TYPES OF HOGS With respect to type, all hogs are roughly divided into two classes, known respectively as the lard type and the bacon type. The efforts of the breeder to furnish the finest bacon have resulted in the evolution of the bacon hog ; while the efforts of the breeder to produce a profit- able feeding hog possessing the maximum of lard-produc- ing tendencies have resulted in the modern lard hog. Dif- ferences between these two primary types are due, there- fore, to the essential variation in the market demands which were responsible for their creation. The lard type of hog has been developed to his highest degree of perfection in the corn-belt, because corn is essen- tially a fat or lard-producing food. But it is not correct to say that the modern lard type is the sole result of corn feeding ; the development of this type has been brought about by the selection for breeding purposes of those indi- viduals which responded favorably to corn-belt conditions. It is a matter of good fortune that the market should prefer the type of hog which the farmers of the corn-belt are best qualified by natural advantages to produce. The bacon type of hog, on the other hand, has found its highest development in an environment which supplies a variety of feeds less fattening in their qualities than corn. In Canada, where the bacon type is generally produced, peas, barley, and oats are the grains on which chief reliance is placed. With these advantages and the continued se- lection for the type which produces high-grade British bacon, the Canadian farmer has developed and main- tained a hog conforming to the standard of the bacon type. Judging 393 JUDGING THE FINISHED FAT BARROW OF THE LARD TYPE Market requirements. On the daily market, highest prices are paid for the kind of hog which the daily records of the buyers have shown to be the best killers. From the butcher or packer's point of view, a good killer is one which furnishes a carcass yielding a high percentage of dressed to live weight, of suitable weight and condition, correct in shape, and pos- sessing fine quality of fat and lean. High dressing percentage is of special importance be- cause of the influence it exerts on the price which the buyer can afford to pay for the live hog. The average market hog dresses about 74 per cent of chilled carcass to live weight, while the average grade of the medium-weight butcher hogs will dress about 78 per cent. The first prize carcasses at the last four International Livestock Exposi- tions (1913, '16, '17, and '18) represented an average of 85 per cent of carcass to live weight, the highest being 92 and the lowest 80.85 per cent. The importance of dressing percentage as a factor in determining selling price is brought out by the figures presented in Table CLXXVII. These calculations were made on the basis of a 10-cent market and a live weight of 225 pounds. The carcasses from the low dressing hogs were assumed to have the same value a pound as the heavier dressing carcasses. TABLE CLXXVII. — THE RELATION OF DRESSING PERCENT- AGE TO SELLING VALUE ON FOOT Dressing percentage . . 70 75 80 85 Relative value per pound on foot Wi 10.71^ 11.43 ?f 12.14«f 394 Pork Production These figures mean that if hogs weighing an average of 225 pounds and dressing 70 per cent are worth 10 cents a pound, hogs of the same weight dressing 75 per cent are worth 10.71 cents a pound, and so on. That is to say, for every increase of 1 per cent in dressing yield, the selling value on foot is enhanced between 14 and 15 cents a hun- dredweight. In actual practice, such wide variations in dressing per- centage as given in this table are not common with hogs of the same weight. Variations in dressed weights are due chiefly to differences in weight, condition, and fill. The supply and demand for lard on the one hand, and for fresh pork cuts on the other, are largely responsible for the failure of the selling price of live hogs always to har- monize with the dressing percentage. The weight, condition, shape, and quality of the carcass also bear an intimate relationship to the price which the buyer can afford to pay for the hog on foot. With respect to weight, the carcasses in greatest demand are furnished by butcher hogs weighing from 200 to 260 pounds alive.1 The most profitable cutting carcasses are broad, thick, and of medium length, symmetrical in shape, even in their lines, and uniform in width and thickness. There should be no tendency towards stagginess, shown by coarse and extra heavy shoulders, the loin should not be weak nor the hams light. The carcass as a whole should present a plump smooth surface, the skin being thin and free from creases, blotches, or bruises. The fat covering should be thick and of uniform depth. After chilling the fat should be firm and ivory white, rather than yellow, stringy, or oily. The lean meat should be bright and fine- 1 B, R. Gentry, general hog buyer, Armour & Co. Judging 395 grained, rather than dark and coarse.1 These desirable features mean that the carcass will yield the high-priced market cuts with a minimum of trimming ; that the shrinkage in curing the hams and bacon will be small ; and that the flavor, quality, and general attractiveness of the cuts, both cured and fresh, will be of the best — all of which mean a caracass whose products command the highest prices in the open market. A compilation by E. R. Gentry 2 of the killing records of medium-weight butcher hogs dressed by Armour and Company gives the following average percentages of the different cuts and products : r