MINERALS FOR PIGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 101, 1 May 1930, Page 27

MINERALS FOR PIGS.

Discussing the importance of minerals in the ration of the pig, Dr. Charles Crowther, in the Handbook of the East Devon M.E. Society, points out that while a certain amount of mineral matter is present in every feeding stuff, this is not always 'sufficient in amount or of the right kind to supply the needs of the rapidly-growing young pig. So far as practical pig feeding k concerned, such defects are most liable to arise in connection with the supply of lime and salt, since the cereal foods —wheat, barley and maize—which enter so largely into pig rations are all only poorly supplied with these ingredients. This applies particularly to the case of lime —so essential for bone formation —and a great deal of the trouble of the nature of "rickets" met with in practice is due primarily to lime deficiency. Pigs running out on grass will usually be able to remedy any defects of the trough food in this respect unless the land is in a very acid state, but pigs kept indoors are naturally entirely dependent upon the food supplies. It is important in such cases, therefore, to ensure an adequate supply of lime in the food, which can be done by the inclusion in the ration either of some food rich in lime, such as fish meal, meat meal, bone flour, or by adding lime in some mineral form, such as ground limestone or chalk. If the last-named expedient is adopted a suitable proportion to use will be about 21b of ground limestone to each 1001b of mixed meals.

Salt is an indispensable item in the food of all animals, but in the case of the pig. the supply must not be much in excess of. the,,, actual requirements, or serious trouble may ensue. Comparatively small though these requirements are in the case, of the pig, they are not adequately met by the common cereal foods, so that where these are largely used a small addition of salt to the ration may be desirable. A suitable proportion will be about ilb to every 1001b of mixed meals. Here again, as in the case of iime, no such addition should be necessary where the pigs Lave access to good pasture. Lime and salt are only two of many mineral matters required by the growing animal, but in the writer's experience they are the only two likely to be generally deficient under average practical conditions in this country. Elsewhere serious trouble has been traced to deficiency of other mineral ingredients, such a3 phosphorus, iron-and iodine* but there is little evidence- as yet of any serious trouble in our own pig husbandry traceable to. deficiency of these ingredientfe, although further investigation may necessitate some modification of this

opinion. The cautious pig feeder who wishes to be doubly safe under this head may add to his meal rations about 2 per cent,of a mineral mixture containing all the necessary ingredients. Proprietary mixtures of this character are available on the market, or a suitable mixture may be .made more cheaply from six parts ."■round limestone, five parts sterilised bone flour, one part common salt and one part oxide of iron (rouge), with loz of iodide of potassium added to each 5001b of the mixture. In the writer's experience a simpler and cheaper mixture of three parts ground limestone, two parts sterilised bone flour and one part common salt seems to be quite satisfactory. Whatever the mineral mixture used, not more than 2 to 3 per cent should be incorporated in the ration.