Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1914-04-02

ana reed OF 1o9s Tor MARKET.
Washlngton-The average price of
pork in the Pacific northwest has
been high because of the fact that it
has been necessary to ship a large
percentage of hogs from east of the
Rocky mountains. By providing pas
ture for hogs in most of this region
and utilizing the ability of the hog
to harvest grain cpops for himself the
cost of producing pork in the north.
west should be so materially reduced
as to make the hog industry profita-
BILE there These considerations are
dealt with in a new bulletin of the
United States department of agri-
culture netitled: Pasture and Grain
Crops for Hogs in the Pacific North
west"
Scattered here and there through
out the northwest are men who are
successfully producing pork, and
their methods, crops and feeding sys-
TENS have been studied by the in
vestigators who have compiled the
departments new bulletin. Owing
to the rapid increase of population in
this section, the demand for pork
has increased faster than the supply.
Although there have been some out
breaks of hog cholera, this area has
been remarkably free from this dis
ease, doubtless because of the scare
ity of hogs. The larger cities have
well equipped packing houses, and
modern union stockyards are in OPP
Grafton at Portland, Oregon Not
withstanding this enormous quantities
of eastern pork, bacon and lard are
annually consumed by the Pacific
coast states.
Clean, Tender and Palatable Forage
Required.
The pasture should be so managed
that the forage viii be clean, ten
der and palatable, if pork production,
which depends so largely upon the
consumption of cheaply grown food,
is to be economical Hog pastures are
generally managed in one of three
ways:
1-Continuous close grazing.
2-Alternate pasturing of equal
areas.
3-Pasturing the meadow. IL
The first method which keeps the
hogs In the field during the entire
season too often results in the pas
ture being overgrazed. The pasture
becomes little better than a dry lot
and the hogs make unsatisfactory
gains. When the feed in the pas
ture becomes scarce, either the NUM-
Der of hogs per acre should be re-
duced or other forage provided.
The. second method is more salts
factory. A pasture is divided into
two or more fields of equal area
which are used alternately, the hogs
remaining in each about a week or
10 days.
In the case of clover and alfalfa
the growth is allowed to become 3
to 4 inches high before the hogs
are turned in to eat it off quickly.
When the pasture consists of such
crops as rape, kale and vetch, which
will not stand close grazing, the
growth is permitted to reach
height of s or 10 inches before the
hogs are turned in.
Changing Pastures.
Changing the hogs from field to
field gives the pasture a period of
lest, during which the plants recup-
crate and grow rapidly. When the
stock is returned to the field the for
lge is clean, tender, and palatable
ind large quantities are consumed.
Owing to the rapid growth made
While at rest, pasture that is Sub
divided and the areas grazed alter
Aately is capable of carrying a much
anger number of hogs per acre, 9TH
r conditions being equal, than one
hat is continuously pastured.
Hogs usually Craze a pasture some
What unepenly, some areas being eat
N off much more closely than 9TH
rs. To keep down the weeds and
make the growth come on evenly,
he pasture is clipped with a NOW
II Immediately after the hogs are
Hogs are inclined to root
rhen the surface of the ground IS
ret or damp. For this reason the
asture, If under irigatioon, is irrt-
ated just after the hogs are change
rom one pasture lot to the next.
his gives the surface OF the ground !
lme to dry before the forage is large |
nough to be grazed.
Tho third r,ath0d also has certain /