134 SOUTHERN PORK PRODUCTION 



small grain crop, such as oats, in which case it is gener- 

 ally September before it is 'available for pasture. It is 

 not so valuable as soy beans for the production of seed 

 for several reasons, not the least among which is the 

 necessity for hand picking resulting from the uneven 

 ripening, which must be classed as an advantage from the 

 standpoint of a swine-grazing crop. 



Oats pasture. This is a small winter grain and is the 

 most extensively grown of all small grains in the South. 

 It is planted in the fall in most southern states, but in the 

 northern states it must be planted in the spring. It is 

 most commonly raised for seed, but its value as a swine- 

 grazing crop is rapidly becoming appreciated, especially 

 when it is combined with vetch. It is one of the cereals 

 that is grazed to quite an extent when young. After 

 grazing during nearly all of the latter part of the winter, 

 the hogs are generally removed about March 1st or a 

 little later to give it a chance to make grain, after which 

 it may be grazed off once or twice if properly handled. 

 The pasturing of oats at different seasons makes its 

 feeding value quite variable, 100 pounds of consumed 

 feed containing from 2.5 to 7.5 pounds of digestible 

 protein, from 12 to 48 pounds of digestible carbohydrate, 

 from .8 to 3.2 pounds of digestible fat. It is a fairly well- 

 balanced ration, having a nutritive ratio of approximately 

 1 : 6, but in its immature state a concentrate such as 

 middlings or soy beans should be added. It has also been 

 found excellent when fed in rations containing vetch, 

 rape and alfalfa pastures, although in such instances 

 some concentrates should be fed. It is generally avail- 

 able from December to June, but the early pasturing 

 does not amount to so much in the northern part of the 



