1494 ^''^'^''^ 



Value of alfalfa hay in fattening rations for broods sows. — Of the five 

 animals available for the work. Group I containing two, received corn meal, 

 Group II, containing three, was given a ration composed of four parts of corn 

 meal and one part of alfalfa meal. The experiment lasted 42 days. The 

 two groups fattened rapidily, Group I gaining 2.9 lbs. per head per day. 

 Group II 2.1 lbs per head per day. The first group consumed 410 lbs. of 

 corn meal, the second 389 lbs. corn meal and 97 lbs. of alfalfa hay per 100 

 lbs. gain. 



1 104 - The Fattening of Pigs on Pasture under Forest. — r.-vuser, in MittcHunien dcr I'er- 



einigun deutscher Schweinezuchfcr, 23rd year, No. 16, pp. 185-187. Berlin, August 15, 1916. 



In order to ascertain whether in time of shortage of food, pigs could 

 be economically fattened in the forest, 30 hardy animals having a long 

 snout and a good frame, which were accustomed to grazing, were purchased 

 for this purpose. The forest was gratuitously put at the disposal of the 

 writer by the commuime of Rodenbach. 



The total weight of the 39 pigs before grazing was 2 056 lbs. 

 or 52.6 lbs per head. The total purchase price was 2 541 marks, from which 

 the price pei pound of live weight is calculated to be 1.23 marks. The 

 pigs are described as being of excellent quality. 



The animals were put on pasture in three separate lots : 17 on Septem- 

 ber 4, 2 on September 9, and 20 on September 19. The forest is composed 

 chiefly of oaks and beech-trees and has an area of 11 1 acres. During 

 the night the pigs were brought back into a common stable of the village. 

 Every morning and evening each pig was given some pounds of a 

 supplementary food composed of molasses, bran, cocoa- cake, maize 

 and potatoes, 55.6 cwt. being administered altogether, but the principal 

 forage was furnished by the forest. The trees and game suffered no 

 damage from the pigs. The latter were taken off the pasture, some in 

 October, some in November and the remainder in December. One had 

 died 17 days after being put on pasture, and three, on account of their ab- 

 normal developement, had to be slaughtered before the end of the experi- 

 tent. Altogether the animals spent 3 189 days in the forest, or 81 days 

 per pig. In this period the total increase in weight was i 785.5 lbs. that 

 is scarcely 8.8 oz. per day, the four pigs eliminated being included in the 

 calculation. On the other hand with some animals increase amoimted 

 to 8.8 to 13.2 oz. 



The financial result of the experiment was as follows : 



Cost of the 39 pigs *: . . . - 541 wnikx 



Concentrated food and cost of leedint; i 426 



Rent of stable, repairs of fences .... 20 



Wages of swineherd 47 



Cost of transport . . . 21 



4 035 marks 

 Receipts. 

 Sale jirice of 38 pi^s . 4 036 murks 



I,oss ... ly murks 



