The Benson signal. [volume] (Benson, Cochise County, Ariz.) 1915-1921, 1918-09-14
REDUCE COST OF
FEED FOR SWINE
Pork Production Made Most
Profitable by Furnishing Good
Pasture for Animals.
FORAGE CROPS ARE FAVORED
Hog Raisers Can Save Labor and High.
Priced Grain by Allowing Pigs to
Harvest Crops This Fall
There is No Waste.

The hog raiser, whether he has two
or 200 pigs, who provides pasture for
them whenever possible, is the one who
makes the production Of pork most
profitable. The raising Of rapid-grow-
ing. heavy-yfelding forage crops, such
as soy beans, cOwpeas, clover, ETC., to
be fed green to live stock instead of
depending upon the ordinary pasture
crops has long been advocated by the
United States department Of agricul-
ture. Hogging down such crops has
been practiced most successfully by
experienced hog raiSers, who find that
this method, aside from reducing the
cost of producing pork, also reduces
the labor materially. When hogs are
permitted to harvest these crops for
themselves repeated demonstrations
nave shown that there is no waste,
which Is an objection that is often
raised by those who have not tried the
plan.
Let Hogs Harvest Corn.
Hogging off corn has been tested
thoroughly at several agricultural ex-
pertinent stations and by practical hog
raisers, and the practice is strongly
recommended. Corn alone is not sat
isfactOry hog ration. Where the crop
Is to be hogged off, some other crop
should be combined with it. Pumpkins
seeded at the same time as the corn;
soy beans, or cowpeas seeded in the
same or in alternate rows with the
corn, and rye, rape, or soy beans seed
ed at the last working of the corn have
all been used with satisfactory results.
With one of these combinations no 9TH
er grain ration is needed, but If there
is no other forage growing in the corn
field, some concentrate, such as tank
age, cowpea meal, or middlings.
should be fed. 1t is advisable to start
the hogs gradually, for a few days,
with little green corn before turning
them into field Of corn to hog it off.
The corn is ready for grazing when
the grain is denied or glazed. 1t will
take about one month for IA to 16
hogs, weighing $50 pounds each, to hog
off an acre Of corn which would yield
80 bushels. 1t is not advisable to let
the hogs have access at any time to
more than they will clean up In ten
days.
Alfalfa is perhaps the best Of all
green forages for hogs. It starts
growth early in the spring. If kept
moderately grazed or if moved at in
tervals it keeps green all summer. AL
falfa will not stand close grazing with
hogs. If grazed, sufficient acreage
should be allowed so that at least one,
and preferably two, cuttings for hay
may be made each season. Such light
grazing does not seem to injure the
stand.
Red clover, crimson clover, soy
beans, cowpeas, rape and, in the South,
velvet beans and peanuts are also val
liable forage crops which the hogs
can harvest for themselves.
Cheapest Pork From Pasture.
The cost of pork is reduced mate
rally by the use of pasture and for
age crops, but it is desirable to FEED
some grain in addition. In certain
sections of the country, where the pas
lures are luxuriant, mature hogs are
maintained IN an apparently satiSfac-
tory condition on pasture alone. The
practice should not be followed in the
case of young, growing pigs, because
they will become thin and stunted If
compelled to live on pasture alone.
Hog raisers differ widely regarding
the quantity of grain that should be
fed to hogs while on pasture. Some
feeders give the hogs all the grain
they will consume. Others feed daily
ration equal to about 2 or 3 per cent