Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-05
FARM EDUCATION
BY DIR. ANDREW M. SOULE

summer, preparation should be made
to seed part Of the land to rape,
kale or collards. A section should
be sown during the early summer
to burr clover. Some of the land
should, of course, be seeded to oats,
rye and wheat. Supplemental crops
to use Herewith would be crimson
clover and hairy vetch In addition
to the above, at least five acres of
a separate and distinct area of land
should be set aside and devoted to
the cultivation of corn. When this
is harvested, it should be fed in
the ear to finish off the young hogs
and to provide grain for the main.
tenance of the brood SOW and her
litter through the fall and winter.
Under such a plan OF management,
about the only thing the farmer
might be called on to buy would be
some shorts to mix with the corn.
Or, if he prefers, he may use tank
age in place of the shorts. The
areas in question sholGd provide
an abundance of food and grain for
two brood sows and their progeny.
OF course these animals would be
expected to farrow two filters a
year. Surprising. however, they only
produce one large litter apiece, there
should still be sixteen to twenty
hogs carried through to maturity. |
think it quite certain that three lit
ters( at least could be expected from
two brood sows and that it is not
oVerstating the case to anticipate
the finishing out of at least twenty
pigs. Let us say that these pigs are
not heavy, and will, therefore, not
weigh more than IT'S pounds when
sent to slaughter. Let us say that
four of them should be kept on the
farm to furnish the family with an
adequate supply of meat. That leaves
sixteen to sell. At cents a pound,
they would be worth $14. So, that
the lot should bring the farmer in
the neighborhood of 1924 for his sea
sons work. I do not think it would
be necessary for him to buy more
than $24 worth Of feed. So, it would
be comparatively easy for us to
make 1924 per farm through the
agency Of our porcine friends, If we
believe strongly enough in the pos
sibiIity of finishing hogs out in the
manner indicated, thereby making
ourselves self-sustaining in regard
to the per capita supply Of pork
products which we now consume. 7
am sure that I have not overstated
the case in any particular because
we have abundant records of our
own experiences that justify US in
setting up and recommending the
program of operations outlined
above. In a number of instances
which have come to my attention,
the hogs have been finished at a
weight of $50 pounds, and the gross
returns from the maintenance Of
two brood sows made more nearly
to approximate $500 than 1925
Of course I am familiar with the
claim which will be set up that the
plan in question calls for the estab
ishment of new crops. 1t is not es
sential that this be done. We may
use the crops at hand. l have only
mentioned a few of those which may
be available. Some one will say that
a good deal of expense will be nee
essary in order that proper feeds
may be provided. Again, [ take issue
with this mistake. There is enough
waste material on many of our farms
to provide the fences that are needed.
They can be built at this season of
the year when there is little else
to do.
In this connection, it is important
to remember that grazing crops
only supply little more than q main
tenance ration for young pigs. We
cannot expect these animals to
grow off rapidly therefore if they
are maintained on Succulent pas
lures unless supplied with concen-
trates. If grain is not fed, the
chances are that a part of the ami
mails will become unthrifty. This is
due to the fact that they are net
obtaining the amount of mineral
matter or protein to keep their bodies
functioning properly. 1t is foolish to
let this condition arise, because it
may eventually result in the de-
Velopment of some form of disease
among the pigs. Moreover, unthrifty
animals never prove profitable to
any landowner. A few acres inten-
sively cultivated will provide all the
grain We need not only for hogs,
but for all other classes of farm ami
mails as well. The fact that we e&-
pect to raise our pigs largely on
grazing crops tends to minimize the
effect which sometimes arises from
the use of an all-corn ration. We
can afford to feed this grain under
such conditions without any mis-
givings. For young pigs, the begin
ming ration may consist of only
about one-fourth of a pound per day,
but it should be increased until they
are receiving as much as two or
three pounds per head per day.
Naturally, as the pigs grow larger
and stronger, they require more
grain. Probably the best way to feed
the corn ration is through the use
of self-feeders. If it can be mixed
with tankage, so much the better,
because this will balance it up and
supply the animals with the ele-
ments which they most need and in
which corn is most likely to be de-
ficient. 1t is a good thing also to
keep a mixture of mineral matter in
the feed lot. Many suggestions have
been offered relative to the desir-
ability of various mixtures, but we
think none will be found more salts
factory than the one which has been
suggested below:
A pounds sulphur.
pounds rock phosphate, or air
81 led lime.
pounds salt.