254 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



as a green feed and hay. For the last ten years I have used it largely 

 in pork production and I consider it a very important adjunct in hog 

 raising, fed both in the green stage and as hay. I pasture it but very 

 little, as I value it too highly to let stock run on it and muss over it and 

 waste more or less, but I soil it — that is, cut it green and feed it to all 

 kinds of stock that are confined to small space. But as we have the 

 hog under consideration, we will confine our jemarks to him. 



Starting with spring, as soon as the alfalfa gets high enough, I 

 cut and feed my hogs about all they will eat up nice and clean — none to 

 waste — in addition about one-fourth as much corn as when on blue- 

 grass, and they grow much faster when fed the alfalfa than in either of 

 the other cases. The brood sows seem to give a much better flow of 

 milk for the pigs, and the little pigs learn while very young to eat it. 

 When winter (Sets in and the green alfalfa is no longer available, I feed 

 the alfalfa hay with the same results as when fed green. In making 

 pork I feed green alfalfa if it is in season. If not. I feed the hay with 

 about one-half the com that I would feed if I were fattening hogs on 

 corn alone, and find that the hogs make as fast gains and a decidedly 

 cheaper gain, and as the hog is in no hurry to be killed we can afford 

 to wait a little while if we are getting pounds cheaper, as that is the 

 one thing most desirable. 



It is claimed by some that alfalfa alone will fatten hogs. This I 

 doubt. I have fed it under nearly all kinds of conditions, and I have 

 never been able to take a thin hog and put Jiim in marketable condition 

 on alfalfa alone, but it will make an improvement in his condition and 

 a big improvement in his growth — if he was not full grown to start 

 with. 



During the scarce winter of 1901- '2, after the terrible drouth. I was 

 caught with quite a bunch of hogs on hand and with no corn to feed 

 them. I fed all the alfalfa hay I had to the hogs, sent to Kansas and 

 bought and shipped baled alfalfa hay in to feed my hogs, and I fed 

 nothing else to them, and they grew fine. I had several sows that far- 

 rowed during the winter and saved as many pigs as usual. The pigs 

 grew as fast as if the sow had had a corn or mast ration. 



I do not know what medicinal qualities the alfalfa possesses, but I 

 do know that I have not had a sick hog in my pen for ten years, nor 

 have I seen any sign of intestinal worms. I cannot say that the healthy 

 condition of my hogs is due to alfalfa, yet I am very strongly inclined 

 to give it the credit. It seems to be not only a balancer in the rations 

 for growth and fat, but also for health. 



Brother hog raisers, let me urge you to grow alfalfa for your hogs, 

 if for no other purpose. You can grow it; then, why not? 



