FEEDS FOR SWINE 681 



northern states after the pasture season, adding a little alfalfa hay 

 to such a ration as corn and tankage will usually keep the pigs more 

 thrifty and increase the profits. This is true even when yellow -corn is 

 fed. (939) Still better results have been secured in trials by Morrison 

 and Fargo at the Wisconsin Station when both alfalfa hay and linseed 

 meal have been added to corn and tankage. (966) 



If pigs are forced to eat too much legume hay, then the gains are de- 

 creased and more feed is required for 100 Ibs. gain. This is shown in 2 

 trials by Vestal at the Indiana Station 167 in which various percentages of 

 alfalfa meal were added to a ration of corn and tankage for fattening 

 pigs weighing about 100 Ibs. at the start. All lots of pigs were carried 

 to a uniform market weight on their respective rations, with the results 

 averaged in the following table : 



Adding alfalfa meal to corn and tankage for pigs 



Daily Feed for 100 



gain Ibs. gain 



Rations Lbs. Lbs. 



Lot I, Corn and tankage 2.07 413 



Lot II, Alfalfa meal, 10.0 per ct. Corn and tankage 2.07 424 



Lot III, Alfalfa meal, 18.5 per ct. Corn and tankage 1. 98 443 



Lot IV, Alfalfa meal, 27.0 per ct. Corn and tankage ..... 1 . 47 550 



It will be noted that when 10 per ct. by weight of the ration consisted 

 of alfalfa meal, the gain was the same as on corn and tankage alone, but 

 a trifle more feed was required for 100 Ibs. gain. Had only 5 per ct. of 

 alfalfa hay been added to the ration, it is probable that the gains would 

 have been more rapid than on corn and tankage alone, as is shown in the 

 following article. (1010) 



When the proportion of alfalfa meal was increased to 18.5 per ct. the 

 gains were slightly decreased and 7 per ct. more feed was required for 100 

 Ibs. gain than on corn and tankage alone. Including 27 per ct. of alfalfa 

 meal in the ration, decidedly decreased the gains and increased the cost. 

 The fiber content of this last mixture was 10 per ct., which is no higher 

 than that of some mixed feeds sold for swine feeding. In these trials it 

 was also found that when reground oat hulls were added to the corn and 

 tankage ration in such a proportion as to bring the fiber content up to 

 10 per ct., the gains were made much smaller and more expensive. These 

 trials show plainly that fattening pigs should not be forced to eat rations 

 in which the fiber content is high, due to adding such low grade feeds 

 as oat hulls, or a considerable amount of even such good roughage as 

 alfalfa hay. 



A simple method of supplying legume hay to swine is to feed it in a 

 slatted rack. If the alfalfa hay is leafy and well cured, sows will usually 

 eat enough of the hay when thus fed. However, pigs will often not eat 

 much of any legume hay, even alfalfa, if it is fed uncut. If the pigs are 

 being fed a ration which will be radically improved by getting them to 



information to the authors. 



