The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-05-21


supplemented with little corn. as 3
rule. However, the animals were al
In good growing condition. If larger
hogs had been used the daily gains
would have been greater than the ones
mere reported. AS a rule the gains
were satisfactory.
Sheds, Lots and Fences.
The pasture lots, dots 1, and 81
were given no artificial shelter at ali
until the soy beans were eaten down
The soy bean plants afforded ample
protection from the sun for the first 4C
days. after which time temporary
wooden shelters were erected The
pigs which received no pasture were
confined in small lots: each lot was
20x60 feet. Across the east side OF
these lots was a good shed which af-
rorded ample protection from the rains
ana the hot sun. All of the hogs were
made comfortable. The different areas
OF pasture were measured and hurdled
on ny temporary fences, so that an
exact account could be kept of the
| area OF soy bean pasture grazed by
each lot of hogs; this was done SO
that the cost of the area grazed could
be charged against the gains of the
hogs. The hogs were not given the
run OF the whole field at one time;
small areas (about 1 acre to 10 hogs)
were fenced of and when the enclosed
patches were consumed the fences
were moved forward onto new plots.
| Method of Feeding.
Each lot of hogs was fed twice a
kday. The corn was ground into a
coarse meal; this meal was mixed with
4 suff1cient water to make a thin slop
and poured into deep troughs. When
cotton seed meal and tankage were
| led, with the corn meal they were
/ mixed with the corn meal and the
water. If ear corn is used the cotton
seed meal and the tankage should be
made into thin slop and poured into
separate trough before the corn is
thrown out. All Of the grains and con-
| centratsd feeds were fed fresh, that is,
none of the feed was fermented, soaked
or cooked.
The soy bean pastures were gathered
| Dy the hogs themselves. When this
| method of harvesting is followed the
| crop Is never lost on account of rains
or unfavoreble weather. The hogs
were turned into the pastures three or
| four weeks before the beans them
| selves were ready to be eaten; in fact,
| they were turned into the beans about
| one week after full bloom, or lust
| about the time the first pods began to
appear. Some farmers report unsatis-
| factory results with cowpeas and soy
beans when used for grazing purposes,
and 1T is probably true that these I'M
satisfactory results were due to the
| fact that the hogs were turned into
the fields at too late a stage of ma
| turity.
The lower leaves should not be
| wasted. 1t should be remembered that
the leaves of the soy bean and cowpea
plants are approximately equal in
feeding value to wheat bran, pound
for pound. The only way to make use
OF the leaves that ripen and fall early
is to turn the hogs into the field when
fhaS0 ANCf -.
must be taken. though. not to over
stock the pasture: II too many hogs
are turned into the field at this fnarna-
ture stage the whole crop will be torn
down within a few days. In the tests
reported in this were turned onto each
acre.
Some corn was used to supplement
the pastures. AS one Of the objects
was to learn the most profitable
amount OF corn to use along with a
green pasture, various amounts of
corn were used. In lot !, one-fourth
OF full ration of corn was used; that
Is, an amount of corn equal to 1 per
cent of the total live weight of the
lot was fed each day; or, one pound of
corn to each 100 pounds of live weight
was given daily. In lot 2, two pounds
of corn to each 100 pounds of live
weight were fed each day. (This is a
one-half ration of corn.) And in lot
three pounds OF corr to each 100
pounds Of live weight were given daily.
(This Is a three-fourths ration of
corn.)
The amount Of feed given the pigs
confined in the dry lots was deter
mined by their appetttes. No feed
was left in the troughs from one feed
ing time to the next. The aim was to
give just enough feed so that the.
troughs would be clean within 80 min
utes after feeding. II the ration is a
palatable one, dry-lot-fed hogs will
eat daily, an amount Of grain equal to
about four per cent of, their total
weight.
Price of Feeds.
It Is, of course, realized that the
prices placed upon the feeds below do
not meet all conditions of the state
but 1t is believed that the following
prices closely represent the average
conditions Of the state:
Corn, 70 cents a bushel; tankaee,
40 ton; V'ton seed meal, $50 a ton:
soy bean pasture. So an acre.
All financial statements are based on
the above quotations.
Slaughter Data.
At the end of each period one animal
from each lot was slaughtered and
careful notes taken upon the dressed
weights, appearance of the carcasses
rapidity and extent of setting of the
CdEcaSSeS, appearance and weights of
the internal organs, etc. Samples of
fat were taken from each carcass and
delivered to the chemist, Professor C.
l. Hare, who made melting point de-
Examinations to ascertain the effect of
each feed upon the fat or lard The
third, fourth, fifth and sixth ribs were
also taken from each animal with a
view to making a study of the effects
of the various feeds upon the frame
work Of the animals.
Details of the Experiments.
The general plan was to begin the |
experimental work the last week of |
August or the first week in September. |
To have the soy bean pasture ready |
for grazing by September /, the beans |
must be planted by June 1. The beans |
may be planted as early as April Is |
when grazing would be afforded by |
August l. Various lots of hogs, |
which were being fed in dry lots, were |
carried along in the work, so that di- |
rect comparisons could be made be- |
tween the soy bean pastures and the
various dry. lots.
Soy Bean Pasture.
General remarks about the CROP
The soy bean is a very valuable crop
both for hay and for use as a pasture |
for hogs. The Tennessee station (bul-
letin S2) has compared the cowpea
and the soy bean as to their habits of
growth, yields, etc According to this
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