220 SWINE IN AMERICA 



six) raised an average of five pigs each. Their pigs 

 came off the pasture in October weighing an average of 

 approximately 85 pounds, and were but httle less in 

 weight than pigs of the same age on similar pasture and 

 fed some corn. The sows were in good, healthy, thriv- 

 ing condition at the end of the grazing season, and none 

 of the 65 died while in the alfalfa. 



"On alfalfa pasture, with plenty of good water, I be- 

 lieve growth can be produced more economically without 

 than with grain, but if some corn is fed the quantity 

 should be governed by the price of grain and time desired 

 for maturity of hogs. I usually give one bushel of ear 

 corn per day to each 30 sows and pigs after the pigs are 

 two months old. The i6-acre pasture in which the sows 

 and pigs ranged was mowed twice during the summer, 

 yielding a ton of cured hay at each cutting." 



ALFALFA FOR HOGS SHOULD BE CUT EARLY 



It is especially important that alfalfa intended to be 

 fed to hogs should be cut early. An experiment at the 

 Kansas station showed that a ton of early cut and well- 

 cured alfalfa hay, fed with grain, produced 868 pounds of 

 pork, while a ton late cut and poorly cured, fed with 

 grain, produced only 233 pounds. For fattening hogs it 

 is well to feed about one ton of well-cured alfalfa hay 

 with each 250 bushels of grain. 



Farmer's Bulletin No. 215 of the United States De- 

 partment of Agriculture declares that alfalfa is an ideal 

 pasture plant for hogs. "There is no danger from bloat 

 and with a limited number of hogs there is practically no 

 injury to the alfalfa field. Vigorous alfalfa will support 



