The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1918-03-20
Hints On Pasture And
Grazing Crops for Hogs

Pasture and grazing crops along
with 2-3 lbs. of concentrates per day
make the cheapest pork because they
add succulence, are palatable and also
act as filler.
Green pastures and grazing crops
are more palatable than dry grazing
crops because of the chlorophyll they
contain and because of their succu-
lence. ii. e., the green stuff. } Scontain
a large amount of water. Reports
from Experiment Stations in the u.
S. show that the cheapest gains are
made by feeding 20 lbs. of concen-
trates per day to hogs on pasture.
Legume pastures seem to be super
ior to the common grasses.
In both North and South Georgia
green grazing may be had the most
of the year.
Alfalfa where it can be grown has
the advantage over other crops as it
can be both pastured and used as a
hay crop. 1t is also a soiling crop.
Rape, Dwarf Essex is liked very
we'll by hogs and because it can be
planted most any time of the year
and because of the yield per acre
ranks next to alfalfa.
Oats and rye for late fall, winter
and spring grazing are good crops.
They serve also as good cover crops
for the soil. The Georgia farmer is
just beginning to learn the value of
winter cover crops. Spring grazing
of oats and rye will decrease the yield
of grain about S bushels per acre.
Early summer crops such as sor-
ghum and millet can be had at time
when other green feed is quite scarce.
Turn the hogs in on these crops when
from 6-8 inches high. Do not let the
growth become rank for hogs like the
green tender parts best.
Soy beans, velvet beans, and pea
nuts where possible to grow them
make fine feed for hogs. Soy beans
seem best adapted to North Georgia
conditions while the peanuts and vel
vet beans seem to be South Georgia
crops. These three crops are valuable
because they are legumes. They con-
tain heterogeneous food elements
which when supplemented with such
carbonaceous feeds as corn, shorts,
ETC., make rapid and economical gains
on hogs.
Soy beans besides being a good
crop for hogs are a good vegetable
for humans.
Matured velvet beans do not seem
to be as palatable for hogs as soy
beans and peanuts. Then, too they
are very hard. Hogs following cat
tie in a bean field seem to do letter
than when the cattle are not there.
Peanuts are very good crop for
hogs. However, the nuts contain an
oil which produces soft pork and the
meat is not as we'll liked by the pack
ers because of its shrinkage due to
the oil dripping from the carcass. At
present prices it is most profitable to-
sell the peanuts to the oil mills and
buy back the peanut meal. Peanut
vine hay with or without nuts is
relished by all kinds of farm livestock.
For late summer grazing a field or
so of Early Dent corn and peanuts
mae a very good pasture for hogs.
In planning crops for hogs on the
farm try and have feed to give them
along with the pasture crops. In 9TH
er words the efficiency of hog to
put on flesh with sunshine, fresh air,
and pastures or grazing crops alon
like a man trying to do efficient
work on sunshine, fresh aid and vege-
tables. Feed your hogs the same as
you do yourself and family. 1t will
pay. Try it and see how they re-
spond.
]. T. PITTMAN.
County Agent.