The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1898-12-03
KAFFIR CORN FOR PIGS.
Results OF Experiments Made at the Kanss.
Agricultural College 60 Test the
Value of Kamr Corn.


Last winter 16 experiments were
made at the Kansas agricultural col
lege to test the value of Kaffir corn as
compared with corn for fattening pigs
and to find the best methods of feed
ing Kaf1ir corn.
With pigs 7H months old at the be-
ginning of The experiment, averaging
in weight 1sS pounds and fed weeks,
the gains per bushel of feed were as
follows:
Pounds.
Whole Kaffir corn fed dry. ....... JOB
Whole Kaffir corn soaked 4S hours. s.s
kafhr corn meal. ..................11.7
Shelled' corn fed dry .I2.3
Katnr corn meal and corn meal,
equal parts. 1928
kaffir corn meal As, soy bean meal
10 ..........s...... 1873
All lots were in good marketable or
der at the close of the experiment
With this class of hogs S3.7 bushels of
corn equaled 100 bushels of Kaf1ir corn.
the loss from soaking Kaffir corn was
II per cent. and the gain from grind
ing was Is per cent, which with Kaffir
corn at rs cents per bushel would give
81 cents for the grinding.
With pigs six months old at the be-
ginning of the experiment. average
weight 1913 pounds and fed IL weeks,
the gains per bushel of feed were as
follows:
Pounds.
Whole kaffir corn fed dry. ...... 9.5
Whole Kaffir corn soaked As hours. 7.3
Shelled corn fed dry. ..11.2
kaffir corn meal and corn meal,
equal parts.
kaffir corn meal As, soy bean meal
At the conclusion of this trial the
last two lots were ready for the mar
ket, part of the pigs fed Kaffir corn
meal and shelled corn were marketa-
bic, while the other were in poor con-
dition. Those in poor condition were
put on rations of equal parts Kaffir
corn meal and corn meal, and Kaffir
corn meal As and soy bean meal Is,
each lot having skim-milk, and they
fattened quickly.
Pigs nine and half weeks old, av-
eraging IS pounds each, were given
grain and turned on alfalfa pasture
for eight weeks. ending January Z.
Not considering the alfalfa. the gains
ped bushel of grain were as follows:
Pounds.
Kaffir corn meal. 1875
Corn meal .13.1
Kaffir corn meal s-s soy bean meal
I'D ....-s.- ...... $3.50. 49,. $50
Corn meal 2-3.s bean meal Ia. $50
January n these pigs were taken
from the alfalfa pasturage and fed for
eight weeks in pens, with gains per
bushel of grain as follows:
Pounds
Kaffir corn meal. 10.4
Corn meal. Ills
Kafiir corn meal %, soYbean meal
1-3 -. ................. 1874
Corn meal 20. soy bean meal l-3..15.6
At the close of the experiment the
pigs fed the Kaffir corn and corn ey-
eraged respectively 10 and III pounds
each. and were rough and lank. The
pigs fed Kaffir and soy bean meals av-
eraged 164 pounds, those fed corn and
soy bean meals 154 pounds. and both
lots were we'll rounded out, and were
sold at good prices for light fat hogs.
These experiments show that Kaffir
corn is similar to corn in fattening
qualities, but not equal to it That if
a small quantity of feed rich in pro-
tein, as alfalfa, soy beans or skim
milk, is added to the ration of Kaffir
corn, good results are obtained. KAT
fir corn has advantages over corn for
many parts of the state as crop to
raise for. fattening pigs. On the col
lege farm for the last nine years the |
average yield per acre for Kaffir corn |
has been 45.9 bushels, and for corn 34.2
bushels. Averaging the results OBJ
tanned from fattening pigs six months
Of age and older, we have for the col
ege farm an everageper year per acre |
Of 454 pounds of pork from Kaffir corn !
and 4o2 pounds of pork from corn. In
the western half of the state the diff |
terence in favor of Kaffir corn is much |
greater, as in 1897, in fields where corn
yielded to 5 bushels per acre, the
yield of the Kaffir corn was 25 bushels. |
The soy bean is one Of the best |
crops, and if farm
rs will raise this crop as well as Kaffir
,orn or corn, pigs can be fattened
orofitably in every part of the state
Rural World.