Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-06-19
GROWING CHEAP o r

GROWING CHEAP PORK.
In practically all sections the value
of pasture for hogs in connection with
the proper grain combination, in the
economical production OF pork is adj
mitted. Harry Howard, director Of the
Delaware experiment station, in a re-
cent address expressed the opinion that
with the right kind of pasture ii re-
quires from one-ffth to one-third less
grain to produce 100 pounds Of pork.
But, he said, while this is no doubt
true, care should be k not to try
to overdo the matter of pasture. espe-
cially with young pigs. Young pigs
need more protein than older ones, be-
cause they are growing rather than
fattening. In consequence, the young
pig should receive for some time after
being weaned a ration equivalent to
two parts of cornmeal and one of
middlings, with a little digestive tank
age perhaps, aside from access to good
clover alfalfa, oats and peas, or cow
pea pasture from which he will get
considerable protein.
Under usual conditions, however, the
heterogeneous feeds are so high that, al
though their use undoubtedly would
make more rapid gains, they are OBJ
tanned at such an increased cost as to
render their use inadvisable. Pigs
should be so fed that they will gain
from one-half TO one pound o day from
the time they are three weeks old until
they are marketed. 1t is impossible to
make anything like this gain on pas
ture alone, but OF the other hand the
, Montana station has found that it is
possible to feed more grain than is
necessary to make the maximum gains.
1t seems, too, that in order to get
the best results from the pasture it
is essential that the pigs be allowed
TO Craze rather than to have the green
feed cut and brought to them.
Who grain fed on pasture should
be ground or soaked with the posi-
BILE exception of corn, which may be
fed on the cob or shelled. 1t Will pay,
however, to soak old corn before 1t is
fed, as soaking is equivalent to grind
ing and is much cheaper"
The Missouri experiment station in
bulletin No. 70, gives the results of a
series Of experiments in feeding wheat,
shorts, alfalfa, clover, rape, bluegrass
and skim milk as supplementary to
corn. In every instance the largest
gain was made at the least cost, IN
corn and skim milk. but, as might have
been expected, corn and alfalfa proved
the next cheapest ration. In these eX-
periments the green forage was cut
and fed to the pigs in their pens. There
is little doubt that the showing in ia
vor OF the alfalfa and corn ration
would nave been more favorable il the
pigs had been permitted TO Craze upo
the alfalfa.
Commenting upon the results of
these experiments, Director II. J. Wa
tiers says: 1T will be noted hat by
using clover instead of bluegrass, a
difference of nearly - cents per hun
dred in the cost of grain was affected.
when alfalfa was used instead of
bluegrass, the saving was nearly 81 per
hundred.
uXNvha,, Siyir, Mill yN-a ucpl instead of
forage, the cheapest and most rapid
gains were made.
when ii is noted how much cheaper
the gains We're made on corn n clov-
err than those made on corn and ship
stuff, for example. the folly of feeding
! such a ration in the summer time,
when a green forage might just as well
be available, is apparent.
When we realize, moreover, that
clover will give a larger yield of for
! age than bluegrass, n when we con-
slider it's superior feeding value, it Is
perfectly obvious that a material in
crease Is made in the pounds of pork
per acre of our land or per bushel of
corr fed by providing the hogs with
clover pastures instead of requiring
them 10 run on bluegrass. or ever not
so good as bluegrass timothy pas
ture-or, even worse than this, by con-
filming them in a dry lot.
1T should not be understood that
bluegrass pasture during the time
white clover has possession of the
ground is not highly acceptable as a
hog pasture. At this particular season
of the year an ordinary bluegrass pas
ture, especially in those seasons when
white clover does well, can scarcely be
excelled But before the white clover
comes on and after IL has passed away
the ordinary bluegrass pasture does not
hnn{,N fn a. t.A sn 40 N value with a
pasture cf red clover or alfalfa.
1T will be noted that alfalfa showed
q superiority over red clover as a for
age for hogs in both periods of the trial
The cost per 100 pounds of grain was
as follows:
First period. Corn and alfalfa, $;
per hundred. Corn and red clover
S3.25. Saving from use of alfalfa, 2;
cents per hundred,
This means a difference on the basi:
of a 250-pound hog and 62H cents OF
about $37 on each car DAD of hogs. OF
more han enough to pay the freight
even If the yield of the two crops is t.
be counted the same.
O more importance than the supe.
riority of the feeding value itself Is tn,
fact that the alfalfa will yield a much
larger amoun of pasture than will rec
clover, and that 1t will come on earliel
and remain gren later than clover, an,
will. If kept clipped, remain greer
throughout the summer and therefore
a green pasture of succulent materia
which the hogs will relish most highly
1T Is believed to be possible to grow
enough alfalfa for hog pasture at leas
on practically every farm in Missouri
Until, however. alfalfa Is an assure,
success on every farm, the farme
ought to arrange for a clover pastur
afor his hogs every year without fail.