The Greeley tribune., 1906-04-26
SUGAR BEET FEED
Agricultural College Tries Ex-
pertinent With Hogs


feeding of young sows which was
carried ON this last winter at the
State Agricultural college has re-
Gently been completed and the re-
suits summarized.
On account Of the great increasing
consumption Of pork in this state,
there is always strong and active
hog market both at Denver and
many local points. OF the hogs
sold on the Denver market about
eighty per cent are grown outside
the state. When we consider to-
gether with the above facts the
adaptability of the hog to our condi-
tiors and home grown food supplies,
the rapidity with which they grow
into money, the quick turn over OF
the investment and the handsome
profits yielded, there are surely many
attractive phases to the hog industry
in Colorado.
The growing Importance of pork
and bacon production In this state
has directed the attention of Prof.
Mclean, professor Of animal hus-
bandry at the Agricultural college,
to consider some of the various
phases concerned in the most profit
able production of this kind Of meat.
The experiment just completed was
undertaken to determine the value
of sugar beets as a food for young
brood sows. All the young sows at
the college farm, "a in number, were
divided into two similar lots. To
one lot full grain ration consisting
of equal parts Of corn, bald barley
and middlings was fed; while the
other lot was fed half as much grain
and all the roots they would eat.
The experiment lasted ten weeks.
At starting the sows were approx
n,ately six months old. They were
run in small lots in which were
portable pens for shelter. A record
was kept Of the amounts of food
eaten by each lot and their weights
at the end of each week.
1t was found that the pigs which
received full grain ration made
1893 pounds gain, while the other lot
which received roots with a half
grain ration gained 673 pounds dur
ing the ten weeks. Though the
grain lot gained 10 pounds more
than the beet lot, yet there were
five individuals In the beet lot made
just as good gains as the best of the
grain lot. The sows receiving the
beets did not make as phenomenal
gains as did those receiving only
grain in any one week. but they
were more uniform in their gains.
1t was found also that the sows fed
grain alone were harder to keep in a
healthy condition. Twice during
the experiment they went of feed,
became dry and bristly in the hair,
and sluggish in conduct, while the
! lot fed roots never went off feed at
any time during the experiment.
| When beets are valued at IS pei
ton. the gains are more costly on the
lot fed beets than on the grain fed
lot, but If beets are valued at $3.5
per ton, the gain is obtained at one
half cent per pound less by feeding
roots.
The sows ate the beets very heart
lily, consuming an average of nearly
10 pounds per head per day during
the entire experiment. Their relish
of the beets, the amount eaten, the
vigorous, healthy condition of these
sows and the cost all indicate that
beets are an excellent and profitable
feed for sows when fed even in such
quantities as to replace one-half a
grain ration.
This experiment with others will
appear in bulletin form in the
autumn of this year.
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