The Clio messenger., 1917-06-01
ALFALFA CUTS FEED COSTS
PasturIno Hogs In This Crop Makes u
Possible to Reduce Grain
Ration.

East Lansing, Mich.-Michigan
farmers. who in these days of sky-high
feed prices feel that fattening hogs
on real grain is something like "rob-
bing Peter to pay Paul." may be able
TO find a way out of their difficulties
this season by pasturing their porkers
on alfalfa, according to animal hus-
bandry men of the Michigan Agricul-
tural college. Alfalfa pasture, expert
ments have indicated, can be success
fully substituted for much of the high
priced grain ration.
Breeding animals pastured on al
falfa," the experimenters have found,
''may be carried through the summer
In good condition with very little grain.
though growing shoats should get at
least one-half full feed Of grain. or
from two to three pounds per 100
pounds live weight, as their digestive
systems cannot handle large amount
of roughage.
"In trying out the pasturing plan
In 1915 and 1915, ten acres of alfalfa
Of uniform stand were divided into two
five-acre plots. Four portable cots
were placed in a small feed lot be-
tween the two pastures to give the an
imals protection from the sun and In
clement weather, while a creep was
placed in one corner where the pigs
could be fed by themselves. A hog
oiler. and box containing salt and
conditioner were also provided, water
being supplied daily in troughs and an
automatic waterer. The idea Of the
experiment was to pasture the alfalfa
lightly and NOW the remainder for
hay.
Eight sows with go spring pigs
were turned into the No. l five-acre
plot on May II. No. 2 was mown on
June 22, and later, when the crop In
this second field was from to 8 inches
high the pigs were turned In here.
Plot No. was then mown. This plan
was carried out through the summer,
the pigs being transferred alternately
from one field to the other and the
remaining hay cut in the field they
had left. Three cuttings of good hay
were obtained from one field, and two
cuttings from the other, the yield cut
averaging about three tons to the
acre.
"In addition to the alfalfa pastur-
age a grain ration of three parts corn
and two parts middlings was fed to
the sows at the rate of 2 lilo pounds
daily per 100 pounds live weight, max
ing about 3-5 full ration. A small
amount of middlings was given the
pigs In the creep, though the amount
was increased as they grew. After the
pigs were weaned, they were fed
mixture Of two parts middlings and
one part corn at the rate of three
pounds daily per 100 pounds live
weight, the middlings being decreased
gradually, however, and the corn In
creased In proportion, until along to-
wards fall they were getting equal
parts of corn and middlings. If they
had been fed full grain ration, from
four and half to FIVE pounds of grain
would have been required daily.
"The big thing which the expert
ment demonstrated was that 1t is prac-
tical and economical to pasture hogs
in an alfalfa field and at the same
time NOW the field for hay as IL the
hogs had not been placed in it. The
pigs made good gains, the quality Of
the hay was not injured, and the
stand of alfalfa was just as good
the year following as were the alfalfa
fields that had not been pastured."