SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IV. 285 



manner. Dry sows and boars not in service may, however, be carried 

 for a time on such a ration, especially if the pasture is good. 



As the value of pasture and milk is similar, it is not surprising to 

 find that pigs on a grain and milk ration gain no special advantage 

 by having pasture in addition. As pasture becomes available, milk may 

 be gradually diminished. 



To give the best results for fattening pigs, the pasture should not 

 require them to range over too large an area. Therefore, the greatest 

 amount of feed should be grown on the smallest acreage. For this pur- 

 pose, the best pasture is that of annual plants which are quite suc- 

 culent in character. For early spring feeding, fall-sown wheat and 

 rye are excellent; as the season progreses, use oats, wheat or barley. 

 Many like a mixture of oats and peas or barley and ipeas, sown la 

 equal parts by measure. One of the best feeds to use in late summer 

 and during the fall is rape. Sorghum can also be used at this time. 

 Hogs should not be allowed to roam at will over these crops but they 

 should graze a portion of the field at a time, being confined by tem- 

 porary fences or hurdles. Feeding in this manner makes possible the 

 maintenance of a large number of animals on a given area and this 

 enriches the soil proportionately. Further, there is no expenditure for 

 labor in handling manure. 



To summarize, we may say that a ration wnich will keep the sj^stem 

 of the animals in the best possible condition is important because one 

 can ill afford to suffer losses from this source; feed and land are 

 becoming dearer and the margin of profit naturally less. Furthermore, 

 a healthful ration is important because the public is becoming more 

 and more particular regarding the condition of its provisions, and 

 to be satisfied it must know that its meat is made from heathy ani- 

 mals. In general, the objection to corn in this respect holds only 

 when it is fed as an exclusive feed, and may not obtain in all cases, 

 and then only in an indirect way. In the natural state hogs are om- 

 nivorous feeders and the natural method should be followed as far 

 as possible. When confined to a single nutrient, the appetite diminshes 

 and the animals may become "off feed;" in this condition they are 

 more likely to succumb to exposure or to disease. On the contrary, 

 when a variety is fed the appetite is kept keen, the condition of the 

 animal is better and his ability to resist disease greater. 



The effect on the economy of the ration should be considered for 

 the same reason that feeders can no longer afford to lose animals 

 unnecessarily. Land is everywhere increasing in value and live stock 

 raising is constantly becoming more expensive. This is especially 

 true as relates to the hog industry, because hogs are raised most 

 abundantly in those sections where land is the most expensive. Although 

 corn is abundant in those States, it is relatively high priced and suple- 

 mentary feeds such as mill feeds and commercial by-products are 

 also more expensive than formerly. To meet this condition, feeders 

 must resort to the methods used by large manufacturers and strive to 

 get the highest possible amount of efficiency for the materials used. 



