Three experiments involving 328 baby pigs were conducted to study the influence of cane sugar and form of pig starter on palatability, feed conversion, rate of gain and early starter consumption. Experiments were designed to control variations in quantity and quality of milk consumption as well as feeder and place preference. In all preference studies where two or more starters were offered simultaneously, the baby pigs selected starters containing sugar. Pellets containing high levels (20 percent) of sugar were preferred, and, in all but one test, pellets with the sugar inside were preferred to sugar-coated pellets. The level of oat groats, in the presence of 15 percent sugar, did not appear to influence palatability since nearly the same amounts of starter containing no oat groats were consumed as starters containing 40 percent oat groats. Sugar in starters in either the meal or pelleted form significantly improved feed efficiency. Pelleting alone also significantly improved feed efficiency. The addition of sugar within the pelleted starter significantly increased early gains and early starter consumption.