FEEDS AND FEEDING 1 09 



EFFECTS OF ONE-SIDED RATION 



In hog feeding these principles hold equally true 

 as in the handling of cattle, sheep and horses. The 

 pernicious effects of the exclusive feeding of highly 

 carbonaceous feeds is nowhere more apparent than 

 in the case of hogs which have been kept for several 

 generations on a single corn diet. Years ago the 

 custom was much more prevalent than at present, 

 of attempting to keep hogs in small pens during 

 their entire period of existence and feeding them 

 little or nothing but grain, and this usually meant 

 corn. Immense amounts of corn were required in 

 fattening animals, but in those days it was worth 

 only a few cents a bushel and so there was little 

 object in saving it. The effect of this kind of feed- 

 ing is most noticeable upon the breeding stock, 

 especially where it is continued for several genera- 

 tions. Farmers who pursued this plan of hog rais- 

 ing found that the second or third generation was 

 seriously deficient as to type, constitution and 

 vigor, and that they were no longer prolific. Sev- 

 eral of the most valuable families or strains of 

 hogs have been actually bred out of existence by 

 this type of mismanagement. 



Contrary to this experience, those breeders who 

 have sown clover or alfalfa for permanent hog pas- 

 ture, and have used rape, rye or the various other 

 quick-growing crops in order to keep green feed 

 available for their hogs in connection with the grain 

 during the greater part of the year, have always 

 obtained cheap and rapid growth, have maintained 

 their stock in a high state of health and vigor, and 

 have made their business permanently successful. 

 The secret is that the clover, or other pasture, fur- 

 nished protein to balance up the carbohydrate con- 



