128 HOW TO PEED YOUR HOGS 



tared the earliest because it stands trampling especially well. Let 

 us take advantage of bluegrass while it is green and tender, getting 

 out on it early and staying late but depending during late May, 

 June, July, August and part of September for the major part on 

 other forages, such as alfalfa, rape, red clover and others. Much 

 depends on the season, however, as to just how bluegrass does. 

 Generally speaking, when it becomes hard and woody, have other 

 pastures ready, or else see to it that the pigs' corn or barley or 

 other grain ration is in large measure made up of skimmilk or 

 tankage or similar good feeds. 



Sweet Clover. The first year's growth of sweet clover makes 

 a fairly acceptable hog pasture, and some tests at the Iowa station 

 have shown it to be as valuable as red clover. The first year's 

 growth of sweet clover has a big advantage, in that it stays green 

 throughout the season, but it has the decided disadvantage that it 

 is difficult to procure a stand acceptable for pasturing the first 

 year of its growth. Seeded with a nurse crop, it is available after 

 the crop is removed, which will be along in July. Seeded alone, it 

 is difficult to get a stand, although it is possible, and we have done 

 it. This means that most of the sweet clover pasturing is done late 

 in the first year's growth, or during the second year, in which 

 year, the last of its growth, it tends to blossom early, and there- 

 after quickly becomes woody and worthless as a pasture ordinarily 

 before the middle of the summer has come. Of course, the second 

 year's growth can be much improved by frequent clippings, but 

 these must be made high, 6 to 10 inches, else one will kill out the 

 sweet clover. But bear in mind that sweet clover can be used as a 

 hog pasture to advantage; hogs will eat it; and, being a legume, 

 it adds fertility to the land. Sweet clover in rapid stages of early 

 growth runs high in protein and mineral elements and vitamines, 

 all of, which are good for pigs. 



Sweet clover has a bitter principle called cumarin, which gives 

 it its bitter taste, but in spite of this pigs will eat it, as will cattle 

 and horses. It is well to give sweet clover the credit it deserves, 

 but to use it only when one cannot secure good stands of alfalfa, 

 rape, medium red clover. After all, 16cal competition on the home 

 farm will determine its place. 



Our advice is that you put your faith in alfalfa, red clover, 

 rape and bluegrass ; these crops supplemented with winter rye and 

 winter wheat as early and late pastures and doing that you can- 

 not go far wrong in the cornbelt. 



Miscellaneous Pastures. There are other pastures besides 

 those mentioned which may be used, such as green rye, for in- 

 stance, which, seeded in the fall, makes good late pasture and is 

 ready for early pasturing in the spring. It runs very high in pro- 

 tein. Young, tender plants showing as much as 25 pounds of this 

 material in 100 pounds of the dry matter are a valuable supple- 

 ment to corn, barley, wheat or rye. One must remember, however, 



