212 FARM ANIMALS 



curred by the farmer on this score. The only ob- 

 jection to peanut and chufa pasture is that the 

 lard of hogs which are fed on these materials is 

 very soft. Canadian hog raisers depend on rape, 

 vetches, a combination of oats and peas, soy-beans, 

 red clover, alfalfa, artichokes, mangels, carrots, 

 and turnips, as pasture crops for pigs. Artichokes 

 as pig pasture should be planted in the spring and 

 the crop is then ready for use about the end of 

 September. The best way of harvesting them is 

 to let the pigs do the work. In Utah a test was 

 made of the rapidity and the economy of gain in 

 feeding hogs on pasture, in pens and in yards. In 

 this test, a field of alfalfa pasture was eagerly eaten, 

 but it appears that such pasture furnishes simply 

 a maintenance ration for nogs and that grain must 

 be given in order to secure rapid gains in weight. 

 Pigs kept on alfalfa pasture from spring until fall 

 gradually ceased to gain in weight after the first of 

 October. This indicates clearly the necessity of 

 feeding grain even under the best pasture conditions 

 in order to prevent a check in the growth of the 

 pigs. Since, however, alfalfa pasture is at least 

 a maintenance ration it may be used economically 

 in pork production in combination with a small 

 amount of grain. As compared with pigs which 

 were fed in pens there was a noticeable difference 

 in favor of those which were allowed the freedom 

 of pastures. Pigs on pasture with a small grain 

 ration produced gains at the least cost and witn the 

 greatest rapidity. It has been demonstrated be- 

 yond question in many of the far western states 

 that alfalfa and sugar beets are a highly profitable 

 ration in pork production, when fed in connection 

 with a limited ration of grain. In Kansas, a test 

 was made of fattening three lots of hogs, one on 



