Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-06-26
TG -RES @ Q NNYl
=! ! ~ Sas-.:..a EDUCATION
- AND SUCCESSFUL FARMING lii
-n@-N% Re- D. AHpREWM SOLZE llI
Short Term Grazing Crops
AND SUCCESSFUL FARMING
DY AMDREWM SOOZE

Supplemental or short, term graz
ing crops for hogs can often be useo
by the hog rancher to good adVant.
age. The place these crops should
they should be seeded for planting
the period when the crops will give
the largest amount of grazing and
the method of handling grazing
crops of this character are matters
of primary Importance to swine
raisers. Therefore. the information
which has been collected on this
subject will be found worthy of care
full study by the average hog grow
err in Georgia. Many of the ideas
teal Importance. and will enable our
hog raisers to, lessen their produc-
ton costs. quite materially. 1t goes
without saying that the facts pre-
scented are based on the experience
Of the field workers of the Georgia
not p aiWEs for pigs TO Whe1
forage is needed for them, therefore
great wisdom and judgment will be
displayed by providing temporary
forage, such as oats, rye, rape,
millet, sorghum, cowpeas, etc, to
assist the permanent pastures in
These cereal forage crops when
about to- 10 inches high carry con-
siderable protein, a muscle building
constituent needed particularly by
young growing animals. Analyses
show that rye, oats and wheat when
about 8 inches high carry more di-
gestible crude protein than the
legume, alfalfa. As alfalfa is an out
standing forage this comparison
makes it evident that one Or more
in the grazing crop scheme for hogs.
Father than furnishing. excellent
feed for hogs the system. of cereal
forage in conjunction with perma-
rent pasture makes it possible to
shift the animals from a field that
fresh field or pasture where green
grazing may be had.
Oats. An early fall planting. of
oats will come on in time to fur
nish some winter grazing and will
continue through the spring. Pigs
and hogs. of all ages do well on oat
IS fed with it. Oats will not stand
az close grazing and as much tramp
ing as permanent pastures, so care
should be taken not to Craze too
closely or to overstock the field.
Rye and wheat. These crops are
more hardly than oats and will also
endure more severe winters. Rye
as a. hog grazing. crop is more popu-
lar in Georgia, than is wheat al
though there is very little difference
in their, actual feeding value. Vir-
ply to the fall planting of oats may
be followed with rye and wheat.
Rape. This member of the turnip
family is one Of the best grazing
crops for hogs. The habits of the
plant are such that it stores its
which are Cthe portions eaten by the
hogs. Rape is hardy plant and is
suited for fall and early spring
planting: About to 10 weeks aft
er planting the crop may be. grazed
WITH PS ts bgT9dMng maK :
as a late, fall and spring forage for
hogs. Dwarf Essex is the best va
riety for grazing purposes. It should
be sown in rows about 16 to IS
inches apart. For best results II
which should be fortified at time
Mfiiet.-This is a rapid growing
plant that develops rank forage and
is good spring and early summer
grazing crop for hogs. 1t may be
sown either. broadcast or in drills.
Millet requires fertile soil and the
fields should be rotated freely, as the
crop is rather exhaustive to the soil.
A mixture of millet and cowpeas is
a good grazing combination for hogs
and is not, SO detrimental to the soil
as is millet alone.
Cowpeas.-In practically all sec
tons of Georgia this legume pro-
duces good grazing. Cowpeas thrive
on land that will not in many cases
support other leguminous crops. The
fact that this crop is a soil builder
adds to its value. In the grazing
system for hogs, cowpeas are most.
widely used as an early summer
forage. 49,
Sorghum and Cowpeas.-The COM
bination Of sorghum and cowpeas is
very commonly used in Georgia as a
hay crop, and as such it is valuable
to the live stock farmer. 1t Is no
less important and valuable as a hog
grazing crop. Sorghum is a drouth-
resistant plant but draws heavily
upon the fertility of the soil. Where
the amount of sorghum is reduced by
the addition of cowpeas, the crop is
not so exhaustive to the soil as is
sorghum alone, and the resulting
forage is of higher quality. Not only
does this mixture draw less upon
the fertility of the soil, but the cow
peas due to their leguminous prop
critics are a decided benefit. 1t is
true that cowpeas cannot stand
drouth as well as sorghum, but their