A PASTURE HANDBOOK 81 



hogs is sometimes practiced. But since ringing is painful and may 

 leave a wound, providing opportunity for infection, the operation 

 should be avoided if possible. Swine that have an adequate suppl}^ of 

 minerals and other nutrients in their rations are much less likely to 

 root persistently than those which have a craving for something they 

 lack. 



In most hog-growing sections of the country permanent pastures 

 are generally used by hog raisers. It is not advisable, however, to 

 use any of the permanent pasture grasses year after year when a 

 considerable number of hogs are kept on them during most of the 

 pasture season. Lots and pastures used every year should be plowed 

 at least once each year to scatter and destroy roundworm eggs and 

 other sources of disease and infection. This practice necessitates the 

 seeding of quick growing crops such as rape, rye, soybeans, and 

 Sudan grass. 



Many successful hog growers place on their permanent pastures only 

 a limited number of hogs, such as will permit the pastures to make a 

 sufficient growth to produce a good crop of hay. Plants most generally 

 used are alfalfa, red clover, alsike, wliite clover, bluegrass, bur- 

 clover, Bermuda grass, lespedeza, carpet grass, crabgrass, and Dallis 

 grass. Of all the permanent pasture plants alfalfa undoubtedly heads 

 the list for hogs. No other permanent pasture is necessary in locali- 

 ties where this plant can be successfully grown. 



When weanling pigs receive 1 H pounds of corn per head daily with- 

 out any protein supplement except good alfalfa pasture, the range in 

 the quantity of corn needed to produce 100 pounds of gain should be 

 from about 260 to 320 pounds. Pigs on such feed should gain about 

 one half pound per head daily. Ordinarily, in fattening hogs on 

 pasture a grain supplement and some feed rich in protein such as 

 skim milk, tankage, fishmeal, or soybeans, are necessary for best 

 results. 



A successful and economical plan of fattening hogs is to "hog 

 down "the corn, and to allow them access to a good alfalfa or red- 

 clover pasture and a protein feed in a self-feeder. The hogs will 

 harvest all the corn in this way and in addition help build up the 

 fertility of the soil. Hogs may also be used advantageously to harvest 

 other grains that cannot be gathered in the usual manner (fig. 23). 



Although hogs on pasture need free access to a mineral mixture, 

 such as equal parts of bone meal or dicalcium phosphate, of ground 

 limestone or air-slacked lime, and of common salt, they will not use 

 so much as in dry lot because the leaves of green forage are especially 

 rich in readily available calcium and phosphorus. 



For hogs, tightly stretched small meshed fence is especially im- 

 portant. If it does not turn the pigs when they are small they get 

 the habit of going through fences and are more likely to make holes 

 for themselves when they get too big for the meshes. A barbed wire 

 just imder the woven wire is especially valuable. To be tight, it 

 should be put on and stretched after the woven wire is in place. 



To keep hogs raised under farm conditions from suffermg from 

 infestation by roundworms, the following general procedure, known 

 as the McLean County system of swine sanitation, should be followed: 



Clean the farrowing quarters thoroughh^ and then scrub with boiling water, 

 adding 1 pound of concentrated Ije to 30 gallons of water. 



710433'— 46 



