The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1915-02-19
SMALL GRAINS AND
ALFALFA FOR HOGS


throughout the northwest. Expert
ments with grains which may take the
place of corn for feeding purposes are
of the greatest interest to farmers in
this region, because the small grains
are often grown in abundance and
form the basis of all rations. A
great amount of wheat, barley and
rye is fed in the form of mill products.
and is of course ground. In common
practice, also, these grains are ground
more generally than corn, as they are
usually much harder. The greater
liability of these small grains to pass
through the animal undigested shows
the correctness of such practice.
Best Results with Wheat.
Chief among the small grains is
wheat, and it appears to be the food
best adapted for long-continued hog
feeding. The .advisability of feeding
wheat or any other grain, however, de-
ponds upon market prices and eco
nomic conditions. 1t could hardly be
regarded as economical to use wheat
as stock feed at the high prices now
prevailing. A bushel of wheat pro-
perly fed to reasonably well-bred hogs
should produce approximately Is lbs
of gain in weight. The results of
number of feelings tests show that
there is Comparatively little difference
in feeding value between wheat and
corn for swine.
In comparing various, rations in
which corn, wheat, and rye were fed
alone or in combination with each
other, it was found that dry, ground
wheat gave the greatest returns and
required the least amount of grain to
make 100 pounds of gain. Wheat
should be ground and mixed with
some supplement, such as tankage,
peas, or soy-bean meal. The results
obtained from a number of tests have
proved this to be good practice.
Barley Produces Best Pork.
In Great Britain and northern Eu-
rope barley takes the place of corn
for pork production, leading all grains
in producing pork of fine quality, both
as to hardness and flavor. Consider
able study in the United States has
been made of the value of barley as
pig feed, and the results have shown
that it compares very favorably with
corn, but has feeding value some
what below that of wheat What this
grain may lack in feeding value, how:
ever, it more than supplies in its
effect on the carcass. As high-grade
pig feed it far surpasses any other
grain, and this fact makes possible the
production of pork of the first quality
in regions where barley is produced
abundantly. Ground or rolled barley
is best fed in combination with wheat
middlings, skim milk, roots, alfalfa,
etc,
Value of Rye.
Rye meal ranks little below corn
and about equal to barley meal as a
feed for swine. Rye produces salts
factory pork, especially when it is fed
heavy, concentrated food and will usu-
ally give best results when fed not to
exceed onethird of ration. In many
sections rye is much esteemed as a
pasture, especially where the soils are
rather light, and in such instances
"hogging off" proves profitable.
Alfalfa Pasture and Hay.
Since economical pork production
depends largely upon the consumption
of great deal of cheaply grown feed,
the pasture will be clean, tender, and
palatable. Many successful hog rails
ers prefer to use such crops as alfalfa
and clover for both pasture and hay at
the same time. The number of hogs
generally turned into a field is so
limited that the usual crops of hay are
made.
The newer frrigated sections have
thousands of acres in alfalfa which
may be utilized to great advantage by
pasturing with hogs. Alfalfa, while
adapted to the same territory as
clover, has a much wider range of use
fulness, for it succeeds with less rain
fall and on lighter soils than clover
Where the land is to be used contSn-
ually for hog pasture for a number
of years, alfalfa easily stands first. An
acre of alfalfa will keep from Is to &c
pigs during the summer, and with
grain in addition will make very pro-
htable gains and high quality oil
pork.
Alfalfa hay is often used for feed.
ing hogs in the dry lot. 1t may be
fed whole, chopped, or ground. The
results of five years work at the Neb
raska Station indicate that for fat
tening hogs the way to feed alfalfa
hay most satisfactorily is without
ginning VI NHOpplIBs " mt NHs
cost of producing pork may be re
duced materially by the use of alfalf;
hay, or alfalfa pasture, il is desirabl,
to feed grain or other concentrated
feed in addition. Alfalfa is too one
sided for a ration unless supplement
ed with grim. Mature hogs, how
ever, are maintained in apparent!
satisfactory condition on alfalfa alone
Hog growers differ quite widely re
garding the quantity of grain tina
should be fed while on pasture. SOM
feed full grain ration; that is, al
the hog will consume. Others fee'
medium ration, one that is equal I,
about ? or per cent of the liv
weight of the hog. Still others pre-
fer light ration, one that is equa
to about per cent OF the live weigh
of the hog. No definite rule can b