Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-10-30

IL cheaper, oats and corn. In equal
weights, ground together. may be fed
to pigs after they are two and 3 hall
months old, and midd lings may also be
continued with this feed up to six OF
seven months old, at which period the
frame of the pig ought to be pretty
well developed, and the fattening Pc
riod proper may commence. Corn is
the great American fattening food, and
the last three or four months corn may
be the principal food and ripen them
for sale. Corn makes solid sides of fat
pork, but the frame must be developed
before this ripening begins. We have
watched many efforts to grow young
pigs on corn alone. but never vet saw 8
well developed pig fed in that way.
We have seen pigs at three and four
months old almost as round as ball,
and which would roll about as we'll
endwise rs sideWise. They were mere
balls of fat. These cases occurred
when an effort was made to grow the
pigs rapidly by those who had the
greatest confidence in the proprlety of
feeding such young pigs on corn alone.
But after making q thorough test of it,
these persons became convinced of the
error, and afterward fed nearly in
manner as here advised. When pigs
are on clover pasture, little corn is
very appropriate. TN pasture, corn
meal and middlings, mixed in equal
parts. VII produce a fair result.
Our correspondent has asked a
difficult question on the cost Of food.
because of the different systems OF
feeding, depending on the exposure in
the cold season, for animal heat must
be kept up by the expenditure of food.
Let us suppose that the pig grower
has warm pens, and that the pigs are
farrowed on the 1st of February. The
dams having warm quarters. and being
well fed. will yield milk to grow the
pigs rapidly. The hrst three months
will bring them to May and the mid
season. Now these pigs can be turned
TO pasture, and, with extra feed, made
to gain very rapidly through the warm
season. The six months from May 1st
to the end of October is. precisely the
time that pork can be grown the cheap
est. The food to keep up animal heat
is reduced to a minimum. The grass
will assist, not only in producing
growth, but in preserving health.
Hall the grain iood will push
the pigs on pasture that would be
required, even in comfortable pen, in
winter. This will much cheaper the
cost of the pigs at ten months. No.
vember will be the only cool month,
and the pigs sold early in December
But let us suppose that this pig
feeding is conducted upon land that
does not afford proper pasture in
convenient situation, still if clover or
orchard grass, or even winter rye could
be cut and brought to the pigs in pen
or dry yard, and fed in troughs.
mixed with ground feed, they would
grow as rapidly as upon pasture. This
green food should be run through a
cutter and cut short This could easily
be mixed with corn meal and mid
dlings, and the pigs must then eat the
grass and ground feed together, aud
we have found in that case that the
feeder can mix the ration in such pro-
portion that the pigs will gain more
evenly than on pasture, forpigs on pas
ture take notion sometimes to eat all
grass or nearly allg grain, but in this way
they must eat it in the proportion that
is mixed. One man could prepare the
grass. mix the ration and feed 800 pigs,
which would make the expense very
little per pig One quart of fine cut
clover or grass for each pig is enough
for each feed Two quarts per pig per
day would be quite sufficient, and this
would require only thirty-two bushels
per day for 800 pigs.
Successful feeding ought to produce
pigs of 800 pounds weight at ten
months. We will give approximate
figures of cost at different periods:
Cost of pig at one mon h.. sIo,
Grain for nexttwo months, corn and mid
ddngs, 40 pounds. Observation-Disclosures. 1.23
Grain for next six months corn and mid
dlings, gOpOunds. 4.5J
Grain for November. one month, corn
and middtings. 30 pounds. ..-......... Iai
Grass. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. ~
Attendance. ........ 81
Whole cost at ten months. "a
This ought to cover the average cost
in Kansas, if ali the food is purchased.
The cost of attendance is calculated on
a large number-say 400 or 500 pigs.
This will leave a fair margin. as the
pig should be worth at least from sig
to ssI5. Now, on a farm which pro-
duces nearly all the feed, the result
must be satisfactory. We shall be glad
to hear from practical feeders on the
question of cost.-Natiossat Lsue- Stock
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