The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-05-30
GOOD CROPS FOR
PRODUCING PORK
Industry In Irrigation Country
Subject to Periods Of Expan-
sion and Depression.
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE NOTED
Department Of Agriculture Mas Been
Making Observations n lts West
ern Projects on Utilization
Of Field Crops

Of Field Crops
prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture)
Gum shoe'' farming for ham and
bacon production does not presuppose
web-footed hogs. 1t merely means
that irrigation as practiced by some
western farmers involves conservative
use of moisture for production Of for
age crops which may be harvested d.
rectly in the fields by the porkers. The
swine industry in the rubber-boot coun-
try has been subject to periods of ex-
pansion and depression. One cause is
lack Of knowledge as to the possibility
of using certain irrigated field crops,
and as to the value Of these crops when
measured In terms Of pork production.
II full advantage is taken OF the wide
range of feeds available to swine grow
ers on irrigated lands, pork production
can be conducted more extensively, and
with more assurance Of success.
Irrigation farmers interested in pork
production have had to rely on results
obtained in nonirrigated sections, and
applied to localities where web-footed
crops grow. This lack of definite in
formation was especially noteworthy
in the case Of field crops, which in
other sections of the country are pas
tured by hogs or hOgged Off. Hence,
since 1912 the department has been
making observations in it's western ir-
rigation projects on the utilization of
irrigated field crops as hog pasture.
These investigations include pasture
tests with 149 lots consisting Of 1896
hogs pastured on alfalfa, sweet clover,
field peas, and milo.
Alfalfa Needs supplementary Ration.
Pasturing alfalfa with hogs has been
demonstrated q satisfactory method of
utilizing the forage, and one of the
cheapest ways to produce pork. How
ever, to obtain satisfactory results,
the alfalfa pasture must be supple
mented with some carbonaceous feed
such as 2 per cent ration Of corn,
barley, milo, wheat, or shorts. Under
such conditions one good acre of good
alfalfa pasture will produce, with rea-
sonable surety, about $500 pounds Of
pork season. Exceptional gains as
high as 1892 pounds an acre, were
reported in the case of one lot Of hogs
pastured on alfalfa, and given a 3 per
cent supplementary ration Of corn.
Naturally the gains on alfalfa depend
on the size and quantity and quality
OF the supplementary feed. 1t is poor
policy to try to make pork on alfalfa
pasturage alone without supplementary
feed.
Hogs on alfalfa pasture, supplement-
ed with about 2 per cent ration Of
corn, barley, wheat shorts, or milo, will
consume from $50 to $50 pounds OF
grain for each hundredweight of gain
In general the grain requirement in
creases rs the hogs get larger. The
feeding values of corn, barley shorts
and milo as supplements to alfalfa pas
turage are so nearly identical that the
choice among these side dishes should
depend on prices, cultural adaptability
and general economic conditions
Where the grain is to be grown by
the swine raiser, preference usually
is given to corn barley, and the grain
sorghums, depending upon the adapt
ability Of these crops to local cOndi
lions. An acre of good alfalfa pasture
supplemented with 2 per cent ration
Of grain will support $500 pounds OF
hogs during the entire growing season
The carrying capacity Of alfalfa pas
lures increases rapidly with greater
grain allowance, and 1t varies some
what during the growing season witt
the rate Of crop growth.
According to specialists Of the Unit
ed States department Of agriculture ar
acre of good alfalfa pasture, If sup
plemented with 2 per cent ration OF
corn. or barley, will support six tc
eight sows and so to 70 sucking spring
pigs for about go days in early summer
during which the pigs should gain from
25 to 80 pounds apiece.
Sweet Glover Often Valuable.
A few tests have been conducted Il
try out the value of sweet clover az
hog pasture, and the results have
proved that this crop cannot be regard
I'd as rival Of alfalfa. However, or
SOILS which are too wet or too salt,
for alfalfa, the irrigation farmers fine
sweet clover a valuable forage crop
Rubber-boot farmers are coming to ap
preciHte hogged-down corn and felt
peas Ms a desirable combination 70
pork production, In that 1t saves labor
produces satisfactory gains in the hogs
and adds manure to the soil. Exten
slve tests OF "hogging corn" reported
In the bulle<in show gains Of from lS'
to 1,O48 pounds an acre of corn whel
nc supplementary feed was provided
and from 1855 to 1877 pounds an acr
where the corn WAS supplemented witt
other feed. It ~ estimated that II
these tests an average of about 40
pounds OF corn was required to pro
duce 100 pounds of gain when no sup
plement was used, as compared wit
an average OF 400 pounds when tn
corn was not In combination with for
age. late alfalfa pasture, or rape. Al