72 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. fVol. 41 



The utilization of irrigated field crops for hog pasturing, F. D. Farrelt. 

 (U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 152 (1919), pp S7, figs. <7).— This bulletin reviews 149 

 tests with liogs on irrigated pastures, involving a total of 3,795 animals, con- 

 ducted by the Bureau of Plant Industry on various western reclamation pro- 

 jects. Most of these tests were made during the years indicated at experi- 

 mental farms on (1) the North Platte project at Scottsbluff, Nebr. (1913- 

 1916) ; (2) the Huntley, Mont, project (1913-1916) ; (3) the Belle Fourche, 

 S. Dak. project (1914-1916) ; and (4) the Truckee-Carson, Nev. project (1915- 

 1918). Less comprehensive experiments at the experimental farms of the 

 Umatilla, Oreg. and Yuma, Ariz, projects are also reported. Practically all 

 the tests conducted on the experimental farms have been previously noted 

 from the annual reports of each farm and a summary of the Scottsbluff results 

 through 1915 has been publislied separately (B. S. R., 36, p. 767). Additional 

 details of the tests are given In the present compilation and in some cases dif- 

 ferent and, presumably, revised data. The other tests summarized were con- 

 ducted in cooperation with farmers located on the North Platte, Tieton, Un- 

 compahgre, Boise, and Minidoka projects. 



Pasturing alfalfa without supplementary feed seldom proved satisfactory. 

 Hogs on alfalfa pasture with a 2 per cent grain ration produced about 2,500 lbs. of 

 pork per acre in a season and consumed from 2.5 to 3 lbs. of grain per pound 

 of gain. 



"The feeding values of corn, barley, shorts, and milo [maize] as supple- 

 ments to alfalfa pasture differ from one another so little that the choice among 

 these supplements should depend on prices, cultural adaptability, and general 

 economic conditions. When the grain supplement is to be produced by the 

 swine grower, preference usually should be given to corn, barley, and the 

 grain sorghums, depending on the adaptability of each of these crops to local 

 conditions in each instance. 



"An acre of good alfalfa pasture supplemented with as much as a 2 per cent 

 ration of grain has an average hog-carrying capacity of about 2,500 lbs. of live 

 weight for the growing season. Carrying capacity increases rapidly with in- 

 creased grain allowance, and it varies somewhat during the growing season 

 with the rate of crop growth. 



"An acre of good alfalfa pasture, if supplemented with a 2 per cent ration of 

 corn or barley, will support 6 to 8 sows and 50 to 70 suckling spring pigs for a 

 period of about 60 days in early summer, during which time the pigs should 

 gain 25 to 30 lbs. each. At the close of this period the pigs should be ready to go 

 into alfalfa pasture by themselves for the remainder of the gi-owing season. 

 The few tests so far conducted indicate that white sweet clover is not to be re- 

 garded as a rival of alfalfa as hog pasture. 



" The gains made in the tests of hogging corn reported in this bulletin 

 ranged from 183 to 1,048 lbs. per acre of corn when no supplementary feed 

 was given and from 335 to 1,377 lbs. per acre where the corn was supplemented. 

 It is estimated that in these tests an average of about 450 lbs. of corn was 

 required to produce 100 lbs. of gain when no supplement was used, as com- 

 pared with an average of 409 lbs. when the corn was supplemented with tank- 

 age, late alfalfa pasture, or rape. Alfalfa pasture is to be preferred as a supple- 

 ment to corn in hogging off enterprises on irrigated lands because of its cheap- 

 ness and reliability. 



" The tests reported show that field peas have a high value as an irrigated 

 crop to be hogged off. The gains in live weight per acre of peas in 17 tests 

 ranged from 250 to 949 lbs., averaging in the neighborhood of 600 lbs. These 

 results compare not unfavorably with those obtained by hogging corn, when the 

 costs of production of these crops are considered." 



