228 



Missouri Agricultural Report. 



In this experiment the cost of feed in producing 338 pounds of 

 live weight of pork would be $9.46, which, selling at 5 cents per 

 pound, would leave $7.44 for profit, and for caring for the hogs. 



However favorable these facts seem for maturing hogs early, 

 if one has good clover for forage and can market the pigs in the fall 

 as feeders at a price equal to or above market top prices, there is 

 no doubt but the system will be profitable. Gains on clovers, 

 where a small amount of grain is fed, can be made very cheaply. 

 The Wisconsin Experiment Station found that pigs on clover past- 

 ure, with one-fourth of a full feed of corn, required 243 pounds of 

 corn for 100 pounds of gain, while pigs on clover pasture with a 

 full feed of corn required 417 pounds of corn for 100 pounds of 

 gain. It then follows that a long feeding period may be the most 

 profitable, when corn is high and one has considerable bulky feed 

 in the way of alfalfa pasture, clover or rape, and wishes the pigs 

 to follow after fattening steers. In comparing grain-fed hogs that 

 were confined in pens with hogs following steers, and receiving a 

 small amount of grain in addition, the Mississippi Experiment Sta- 

 tion found that the cost per pound in each case was for the pen 

 lot 4.88 cents, and for the second lot, exclusive of the waste from 

 the steers, was 1.15 cents. 



When corn was relatively low, the Nebraska Experiment Sta- 

 tion found that the liberal use of grain on alfalfa pasture was 

 most economical. This experiment was with four lots of pigs, ten 

 in each lot, to which corn was given in varying amounts. At the 

 time of the experiment corn was worth 30 cents a bushel, and the 

 alfalfa pasture was valued at $5.00 per acre. However, had the 

 alfalfa been higher, the results would have been more marked. The 

 results were as follows : 



TABLE. (NEBRASKA STATION.) 



