Sheltered and Unsheltered Pigs.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1860, 7 June 1884, Page 6

Sheltered and Unsheltered Pigs.

Experiments made by Prof. E. M. Shelton, of the Kansas State Agricultural College, show that it pays to protect pigs. Ten animals an nearly aliko as possible wgre kept, during the last two winters, in separate pena, five in the basement of a barn and five in the yard without covering, save straw for beds. They were fed with Indian corn twice a day, each me3s being carefully weighed. The result was as follows : — Pigs in the barn, 1 lb. of pork cost 4 9 10th P\ of corn ; pigs outside the barn, 1 >b. of pork cost 6 7-16 th lb. of corn. Or expressed in other words, each bushel of corn : —Fed in the barn, made 11 3-10 th lb. of pork ; fed outside tho barn, made 9 7- 10 th lb. of poik. This shows that of every bushel of corn fed to the unsheltered pigs, an amount capable of making I*6 pounds of pork was used in keeping the pigs warm. According to these figures, if the sheltered pig gained 100 pounds in weight during the season, it was by the expenditure of 49 pounds of corn for each pound of pork, or 490 pounds of corn for the whole increase. The unsheltered pig required 570 pounds of corn for 100 pounds of pork. This shows a saving of 80 pounds of corn, about 1£ bushels, in favor of each sheltered pig ; but if the pigs are as healthy in one caee as in the other, and the gain is only in the saving of corn, it will hardly amount to the interest on the cost of the shelter and the wear and tear.