Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-09-29
PROPER HOG FEEDING
Variety Should Be As Great As
Is Possible.
Man Who Makes Business Most Prof.
table Is One Who induces AMI
mails to Devour Most Of Right
Kinds of Food.
By s. NJ. TRAcYl

Whatever feeds may be used the
variety should be as great as possible,
and changes should be made at every
opportunity. The only object in rats
ing hogs is the production OF meat.
and the more rapidly hog can be
made to produce meat the more profit
able he becomes. The man who makes
hog raising the most profitable is the
one who induces his hogs to eat the
most OF the right kinds of food, and
who never keeps them on any one
kind Of grain or forage until their ap-
petites become cloyed and they get
'cf their feed" The greater the va
riety and the more frequent the
changes the more will be eaten and
the more rapid win be the growth.
No matter what food may be used
or what the age Of the animals which
consume 1t a great saving may be
effected by feeding so that none of 1t
will be wasted. While hog is not
over particular about cleanliness, and
will eat food which is covered with
almost any kind OF filth. still he pre-
time and strength In roofing half an
ear of corn out of the mud when he
sees an ear which has not been soiled.
Throwing corn, or any other feed. on
the ground is wasteful. and IL. as is
too often the case, the hogs are kept
in a small pen which is trampled and
rooted so that 1t has become a per-
manent mudhole, the practice is ex-
ceedingly wasteful. In managing the
grazing lots. especially those on which
root crops are grown, the temporary
cross fences win save from one-fourth
to one-half the feed. It pays. and
pays well, to have floor on which to
feed corn: and when shorts or other
ground feeds are used they should al
ways be wet and fed in trough. The
trough should have end pieces so long
that the hogs cannot turn 1t over, but
should not be fastened to the floor.
as 1t will need cleaning often. The
feeding floor and trough should be
under shelter II possible. 1t is never
good plan to feed animals of DIFF
| ferent sizes in the same pen. When
large and small are fed together the
small are sure to suffer. no matter
how much may be given to the lot.
The food which an animal gets by
| fighting may sustain life, but it will
make very little fat An ample variety
of feeds suited to the age OF the AMI
mails. and feeding place where none
of 1t will be wasted are the two i'm
portant factors in profitable hog rails
ing, In regard to feeding hogs. Hon.
w. L. Foster of Shreveport, La. who
has been for many years one of the
largest breeders in that state, says:
"On the hill landE, rye. barley, oats
and artichokes are the best winter
grazing. taking the hogs on the grain
crops about the last of February ta
permit the crops to mature seed
Sorghum. to come in shortly after
barley or rye, ought to be planted In
Spanish peanuts. sweet potatoes and
peas. Turn the hogs onto the oats
when the seed is about ripe: then on
artichokes again for the winter o.
course Bermuda pasture for summer
grazing Is a sine qua non On al
luvial lands would say alfalfa fol
pasture the year around, with straight
corn, hard Tor better II soaked TWEEN
ty-four hours). The alfalfa should b.
cut and fed when the ground is toe
wet to pasture Hogs should run ou
at all times, but should have v-shapet
shelters to go under when very colo
or extremely hot
"For grain feed think corn alone
and not much of 1t. good enough witt
alfalfa or clover. Skim milk will
shorts, bran. oats and corn meal II
equal parts Is. to my mind. the bes
feed, but hardly profitable for hog
intended for slaughter. do not thinl
It pays to cook feed, other than tur
nips, Irish potatoes, or similar crops
which are made more palatable. Fo
growing pigs on alfalfa. soak corn Il
good enough; while for pigs on Der
muda grass l. think shorts. oats an,
corn almost necessary to good results
unless one has plenty of peas. sore
hum and vegetables. or milk Fo
fattening ! prefer the same feeds a
for growing except to increase tn
proportion OF corn"