The Delta independent., 1906-04-27
SUGAR BEETS FOR
FEEDING HOGS.
Delta County Ranchmen are Inter.
ested. Il is a Paying Venture.

eSteQ. II IS a PdylnS venture.
An interesting experiment in feeding
young sows which was carried on this
last winter at the State Agricultural
College has recently been completed
and the results summarized.
On account of the great and increas-
ing consumption of pork in this State,
there is always strong and active
hog market 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
together with the above facts the a.
daptability of the hog to our conditions
and homegrown food supplies. the ra-
pidity 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 d.
rected the attention of Prof. Mclean,
professor of Animal Husbandry at the
Agricultural College, to consider some
of the various phases concerned in the
most profitable production Of this kind
OF meat. The experiment just complet-
ed was undertaken to determine the
value of sugar beets as food for young
sows. All the young sows at the college
farm, "a in number. were divided into
two similar lots. To one lot a 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 approximat-
ely sig 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 793
pounds gain, while the other lot which
received roots with half grain ration
gained 673 pounds during the ten weeks.
Though the grain lot gained l2o pounds
more than the beet lot, yet there were
five individuals in the beet lot made
just nc 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. In was found also that
the sows fed grain alone were harder
to keep in healthy condition. Twice
during the experiment they went off
feed, become 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 per ton,
the gains are more costly on the lot
fed beets than on the grain fed lot, but
il beets are valued at $3.50 per ton,
che gain is obtained at &c per pound
less by feeding roots.
The sows ate the beets very heartily,
consuming an average of nearly 10
pounds per head per day during the en-
tire experiment. Their relish Of the
bects, the amount eaten, the vigorous,
healthy condition of these sows and the
cost all indicate that beets are excellent
and profitable feed for sows when fed
even in such quantities as to replace
one half grain ration.
This experiment with others will ap-
pear in bulletin form In the autumn of
this year.