Show COST OF PRODUCING PORK REDUCED BY USE OF PASTURE AND FORAGE CROPS j 4 3 X A YOUNG PIGS ON RAPE PASTURE prepared by the united states department of agriculture Aerl cultura although corn constitutes a large proportion of the feed given to hogs the cost of producing pork may be materially teri ally reduced by the use of pasture and forage crops supplemented by grains rape soy beans cowpeas cow peas peanuts alfalfa clover vetch rye oats and canada field peas are arc all vali bable forage crops for swine of any age in general the grain ration which Is suited to be fed with the legumes Is corn and barley etc with the plants a small amount ot of nitrogenous tro genous feed such as or oil meal is advisable As a general rule it if rapid gains are desired a full ration of grain Is fed along with nith the forage but it if economy in feeding is to be practiced smaller proportions of grain will be better in 10 some sections of the country where pa pastures are luxuriant mature hogs are maintained in apparently satisfactory condition coi on pasture alone this practice should be followed however in case of young growing pigs because they will become thin in flesh and stunted if compelled to live on pasture alone in a feeding test extending over three summers at the missouri experiment station forage crops demonstrated their value ten pounds of gain were accredited to each bushel of corn consumed before gains were accredited to forage crops grain was fed at the rate of 2 or 3 per cent of the weight of the hogs for each acre pastured alfalfa produced pounds of pork corn rape oats and clover sorghum blue grass rye grain cowpeas and soy beans grain for hogs hog raisers differ widely regarding the quantity of grain that should be fell fed to hogs hog 9 while on oft pasture some feeders give them all they will consume others about 2 to 3 per cent of the live weight of the hog still others will allow pigs to run on pasture and beeb them a 1 per cent grain ration there is no fixed rule governing the supplemental grain ration which should be fed in combination with forage the amount of grain fed depends upon the kind of pasture used the price of grain and the market when a farmer has more hogs than his pasture will accommodate the pasture will last longer if a full gr grain ration is fed when grain is high it is rather expensive p to teed feed a supplemental grain ration at such times there is a great temptation to place the hogs upon pasture alone this practice will hardly ever pay for it generally takes more grain and more time to finish off the hogs than if they had been fed a liberal ration while on pasture the amount of grain used also will depend upon the length of time the feeder has in which to fit the hogs for market hogs that are marketed from ten to twelve months old are usually maintained on pasture alone during the grazing season it any grain Is given it at all it Is very light in this way the greater percentage of growth Is made from the cheaply grown forage where rapid finishing Is desired the liberal use of grain Is important importance of pasture Perma permanent neat pastures also play an important part in a forage crop succession such pastures as alfalfa the clovers blue grass bermuda and a number of others have their greatest use during the summer when nhen few temporary crops such as corn soy beans cowpeas cow peas and velvet beans are available permanent pastures do not furnish grazing as early in the spring as do the cereals but they grow better during late spring and summer lind and afford an abundance of forage at a season when few other pasture crops are ready to graze A permanent pasture then takes the place of a reserve forage crop being called upon to furnish grazing at any time of the year when other pastures tall fall or are exhausted dry lot rations are not usually satisfactory from a financial standpoint corn ordinarily forms the basis of the ration with protein supplied from one of the concentrates such its as mill feeds oil meal soy beans alfalfa or like leeds feeds milk Is available it is q frequents frequent 6 fed to hogs to advantage but under present conditions much 0 the skim milk which has been given to hogs should now be manufactured into cheese when fed in the dry lot a common custom is to give the pigs all the feed they will clean up in a reasonably short time for a pig weighing 15 to 50 pounds live weight a full ration fot for one day Is about six pounds of grain for each pounds of weight fox fo la larger r ger pigs the ration will conti continue nug to grow smaller in proportion to weight until the to pound pig will only consume a daily ration equal to about 24 per cent of his weight |