The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-11-29
PASTURE FOR HOGS.

The corn crop is worth more thar
the usual price per bushel and there
are farmers who will on this account
curtafl the numbe of brood sows that
they carry through the winter as well
as push off the pigs at light weights
This will have an effect on the price
OF hogs another year. We have al
ways considered that the farmer should
raise comparatively the same amount
OF stock one year after another, and
that amount should be determined by
the capacity OF the farm and the
farmer.
To attempt to raise more pigs THAI
the buildings will admit of successful
ly caring for. will mostly lead to loss
n if some have been doing this or
out a part. But the farmer With
buildings to shelter and pasture for
feeding q given number should aim to
have that number or hand one wear
with another. True. there will be years
when the profit is less than others, but
there should be none, and win
be If roper care is used, when the
profits of feeding are beyond that of
selling the grain. The rlvages of dis
ease may sometimes falsify this state
lnent. but nothin~ else should.
The proper use of pasture will be
q great consideration the coming sea-
.son. If there is not a good pasture
of clover. blue grass or alfalfa, then
there should have been Il patch sowed
to rye or if no pasture is ready for
the pigs next spring then a piece Of
land sowed to the common grains will
be a very desirable addition to the
feed for the pork producers. We would
SOW all h grains usually raised in
our neighborhood mixed together and
SOW plenty of seed. The amount of
feed that the Minnesota Experiment
station grew from seed SoWeu aston
ished the writer some years ago.
Dwarf essex rap sowed in the corn
makes good later feed, but it may be
sowed alone for earlier feeding. About
SIN or eight weeks after the sowing.
have been fenced to hold hogs with
in the past year or two, but the cost
OF wire fencing is now such that it
VIII pay to have much, il not all, of
The farm fenced so that hogs will not
get Off n place if allowed to clean
If the hogs have o been used to
pastures and do not Tx to graz
ing, they may be fed away from their
usual feeding place across the pasture
and fed lightly. Water should be pro-
Nlded SO that it is within reach at all
tlmes. This can easily be done by
the use OF n one of several water
ing devices upon the market. Running
streams are not usually the best places
1or watering hogs in the west. especi-
any curing lhe not part OF the sum-
mer.
While corn is. and will be the great
hog feed, there is so much waste in
FEEDING 1t exclusively that the high
price of q crop occasionally may be
a great benefit to the farmer if it sets
his mind in motion looking for other
feeds to so with the corn, and grow
The hog. The farmer needs to feed
MS brood SONS something besides corn
and much has been written about feed
ing Glove hay and more especially al
falfa hay. Many corn belt farmers
consider this 80 much talk" but if
they will try it with good bright hay
they will see something thai will re-
suit in much profit to their future hog
rearing.
Whatever the price OF hogs and of
feed the almer cannot successfully
follow his vocation for a series of a
without hogs and he who tries to cut
down his stock when feed is high and
run it UP when corn falls upon the
market. will generally fine himself with
hogs to sell when they arc low on
the market n without any when the
price is up.