Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1918-05-10

prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture)
Although corn constitutes a large
proportion of the feed given to hogs,
the cost Of producing pork may be ma
terially reduced by the use of pasture
and forage crops, supplemented by
grains. Rape, soy beans, cowpeas,
peanuts, alfalfa, clover, vetch, rye,
oats, and Canada field peas are all val
liable forage crops for swine of any
age. In general, the grain ration which
Is suited to be fed with the legumes
is corn and barley, etc. with the non
legume plants, a small amount of nj
%trOgenous feed, such as tankage or oil
meal, is advisable.
AS a general rule, If rapid gains are
desired, a full ration of grain is fed
along with the forage, but If economy
in feeding is to be p%racticed smaller
proportions OF grain will be better. In
some sections Of the country, where
pastures are luxurlant, mature hogs
are maintained in apparently satisfac-
tory condition on pasture alone. This
practice should be followed, however,
in case Of young, growing pigs, because
they will become thin In flesh and
stunted If compelled to live on pasture
alone.
In a feeding test extending over
three summers at the Missouri expert
ment station, forage crops demonstrate
ed their value. Ten pounds of gain
were accredited to each bushel of corn
consumed before gains were accredited
to forage crops. Grain was fed at the
rate of 2 or 3 per cent of the weight
of the hogs. For each acre pastured
alfalfa produced 500 pounds Of pork;
corr 395: rape, oats, and clover S94;
sorghum $40; blue grass 295 rye grain
pa; cowpeas 224, and soy beans 1888.
Grain for Hogs.
Hog raisers differ widely regarding
the quantity of grain that should be
fed to hogs while on pasture. Some
feeders give them all they will con-
sumo; others about ? to 3 per cent
OF the live weight of the hog. Still
others will allow pigs to run on pas
ture and feed them a l per cent grain
ration. There is no fixed rule govern
ing the supplemental grain ration
which should be fed In combination
with forage. The amount of grain fed
depends upon the kind Of pasture used,
the price of grain, and the market.
When a farmer has more hogs than
his pasture will accommodate, the pas
ture will last longer IL . full grain ra-
ton is fed.
When grain is high, It is rather ex-
penslve to feed a supplemental grain
ration. At such times there is a great
temptation to place the hogs upon pas
ture alone. This practice will hardly
ever pay, for it generally takes more
grain and more time to finish Off the
hogs than If they had been fed & lib
eral ration while on pasture.
The amount Of grain used also will
depend upon the length of time the
feeder has in which to fit the hogs for
market. Hogs that are marketed from
ten 10 twelve months old are usually
maintained on pasture alone during the
grazing season. If any grain is given
at all it is very light. In this way the
greater percentage Of growth Is made
from the cheaply grown forage. Where
rapid finishing is desired, the liberal
use Of grain Is important.
Importance Of Pasture.
Permanent pastures also play an i'm
pOrtant part in a forage-crOp success
sion. Such pastures as alfalfa, the
clovers, blue grass, Bermuda, and a
number of others, have their greatest
use during the summer, when few tenn
porary crops, such as corn, soy beans,
cowpeas, and velvet beans, are avail
able. Permanent pastures do not fur
nlsh grazing as early in the spring as
DO the cereals, but they grow better
during late spring and summer and at
ford an abundance of forage at a sea-
son when few other pasture crops are
ready to gTaze. A permanent pasture
then takes the place of a reserve for
age crop, being called upon to furnish
grazing at any time Of the year when
other pastures fail or are exhausted.
Ory-lOt ratiOng are not usually salts
factory from a financial standpoint.
Corn ordinarily forms the basis Of the
ration, with protein supplied from one
OF the concentrates, such as mill feeds
oil meal, soy beans, alfalfa, or like
feeds. Where milk Is available It Il
frequently fed to hogs to advantage
but under present conditions much OF
the skim milk which has been given
to hogs should now be manufactured
into cheese.