OATS AS FEEDING FOR PIGS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2080, 23 October 1880, Page 3

OATS AS FEEDING FOR PIGS.

The abundance of the oat crop, coupled ■with the low price for this cereal, has caused several farmers to institute enquires as to the value of oats for feeding pigs, and the relative value of wheat and barley for the same purpose. In answering questions of this kind there are many points whieh must first be ascertained, such for instance as the price of the various cereals, weight per bushel of each, their component parts, the breed of pigs and general management. Given wheat at 3s 6d per bushel of 691bs, barley at 3s 6d per bushel of 601bs, and oats at Is 6d per bushel of 461bs ; —according to some agricultural chemists, wheat contains 481bs of nutritive matter per bushel; barley 321bs per bushel of Stubs; and oats, 231bs per bushel of 401 b accordingly the same money’s worth of oats should produce about equal results with wheat, and considerably more than the same money’s worth of barley. The American hog feeders find that it takes Slbs of Indian corn steeped in water to produce lib net of pork. Experiment has shown that it takes sflbs of crushed barley to produce 11b net of pork, which at 3s 6d per bushel for the barley, would make the pork cost 4-1 d per pound. Assuming that the analysis given above is tolerably correct, the result would bo more favorable to the oats as feeding stuff, owing of course to the low price. These results it must be observed are simply a record of the meat producing power of the several kinds of com experimented upon. Experience has shown that the same amount of grain given in conjunction with turnips, mangels, or potatoes, produces more meat in proportion, and enables s larger number of animals to be fattened at a less cost. It is a good plan to crush the oats, and if moistened with milk wash, or even water, so much the better; numerous trials have proved that mixing the meal with water and given as slops, is a wasteful plan; many of the most experienced feeders of pigs use the meal dry, letting the animals have access to water, the theory being that the pigs had to consume much more water when the corn was given in the slop state than was necessary, thereby weakening the action of the stomach, and rendering necessary the consumption of a certain amount of food for the purpose of bringing the water up to the temperature of the body; this is particularly the case in winter time. These may to some seem unimportant points, bat they are far from being ■o. The neglect or otherwise of snch considerations must determine the amount of profit or loss attending the pig feeder’s operations. We believe that with a good stock of well-bred pigs, properly . managed, and with oats at their present low price, and pork at not leas than 4d per pound, a very handsome return may be realised.