Milford chronicle., 1919-05-23
Good CROPS FOR
PRODUCING PORK
Industry in Irrigation Country
Subject to Periods of Expan-
sion and Depression.
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE NOTED
Department Of Agriculture Has Been
Making Observations IN Its West.
en Projects on Utilization
OF Field Crops.

OF Fteto SFope-
prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agrlculture)
"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 di-
rectly in the fields by the pOrkers. The
swine industry in the rubber-bOot cOun-
try has been subject to periods Of ex-
pansion andNdepressiOn. 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.
If 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 its western ir-
rigation projects on the utilization of
irrigated field crops as hog pasture.
These investigations include pasture
tests with 149 lots consisting of 3,795
hogs pastured on alfalfa, sweet clover,
ield peas, and milo.
Alfalfa Needs Supplementary Ration.
Pasturing alfalfa with hogs has been
demonstrated a 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
nented with some carbOnaceOus feed,
uch as a 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 a season. Exceptional gains, as
high as 4,292 pounds an acre, were
reported in the case Of one lot of hogs
pastured ON alfalfa, and given a per
cent supplementary ration Of corn.
Naturally the gains on alfalfa depend
on the size and quantity and quality
Of the supplementary feed. It is poor
policy to try to make pork on alfalfa
pasturage alone without supplementary
feed.
Hogs on alfalfa pasture, supplement.
ed with about a per cent ration Of
corn, barley, wheat shorts, or milo, viii
consume from $50 to $50 pounds OF
grain for each hundredwelght of gain
In general the grain requirement In
creases as 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 I
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
with a 2 per cent ration
Of grain will support $500 pounds Of
hogs during the entire growing season
The carrying capacity of alfalfa pas.
-ures increases rapidly with greater
grain allowance, and it varies some.
what during the growing season with
he rate Of crop growth.
According to specialists Of the Unit.
d States department Of agriculture an
lcre of good alfalfa pasture, if sup,
llemented with a 2 per cent ration of
orn, or barley, will support six to
light sows and 90 to 20 sucking spring
'lgs for about 60 days in early summer,
Turing which the pigs should gain from
8 to 80 pounds apiece.
Sweet Glover often Valuable.
A few tests have been conducted to
~ ont the value ef s=reet clever as ::
og pasture, and the results have (
rOved that this crop cannot be regard
d as a rival of alfalfa. However, on :;
oils which are too wet or too salty !
Dr. alfalfa. the irrigation farmers find
weet clover a valuable forage crop. !
farmers are coming to ap- !.
reciate hogged-down corn and field :.
eas as a desirable combination for (
Ork production, in that 1t saves labor, :
reduces satisfactory gains in the hogs, Z
nd adds manure to the soil. Exten- :
We tests of "hogging corn" reported (
the bulletin show gains of from 1873 :
} 1,04S pounds an acre of corn when :.
, supplementary feedfwas provided, :
Id from 1886 to 1877 pounds an acre !.
here the corn was supplemented with Z
her feed. It is estimated that in :.
Iese tests an average of about 450 Z
,unds of corn was required to pro- :.
ice 100 pounds of gain when no sup (.
ement was used, as compared with :.
/ average of 400 pounds when the Z
rn was not in combination with for :.
,e, late alfalfa pasture or rape. Al. :
lfa pasture is preferable as an ad- +
net to hOgged-down corn on irrigated !
nds, because Of its cheapness, rela-
re abundance, and reliability. !.