•548 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



store hogs, but for fattening purposes 

 it makes too bulky a ration. 



At the Wisconsin station alfalfa hay 

 was cut into half-inch lengths, being 

 run through a silage cutter and com- 

 pared with the results obtained when 

 the hay was ground into meal. Both 

 were fed with grain. When the grain 

 and alfalfa were fed mixed and mois- 

 tened, ground alfalfa gave practically the 

 same results as cut alfalfa hay. The 

 gain on three-fourths corn and one- 

 fourth shorts was 1.1 pounds per day, 

 while on three-fourths corn and one- 

 fourth cut alfalfa it was 1.07 pounds per 

 day, but 100 pounds of gain was made 

 on the alfalfa for $2.02, while on the 

 shorts and corn it cost $3.03, both being 

 valued at $8 a ton. Better gains were 

 made when one-fourth the ration was 

 cut alfalfa than when half of it was 

 made up of alfalfa or where the whole 

 ration was corn. 



At one station brood sows weighing 

 on the average 258 pounds each main- 

 tained their weights on 2 pounds of 

 grain and 6 pounds of alfalfa hay daily 

 throughout the winter, keeping in fine 

 condition and producing large litters 

 of healthy pigs. Young sows also fed 

 rations of one-fourth corn and barley and 

 one-half cut alfalfa hay made excellent 

 gains and at farrowing time produced 

 strong, healthy pigs, showing that such 

 rations are nearly ideal for breeding 

 sows. 



At the Wyoming station sows weigh- 

 ing about 340 pounds maintained their 

 weights practically on a ration of 6 

 pounds of alfalfa hay and 6.24 pounds of 

 roots daily. When growing hogs weigh- 

 ing about 65 pounds each were fed ra- 

 tions consisting of two-thirds alfalfa and 

 about one-third corn or barley they grew 

 scrawny and lost appetite ; some of them 

 died, apparently from digestive troubles. 

 The hay was fed both dry and chaffed 

 in swill. 



Likewise at the Nevada station where 

 alfalfa hay was fed to four pigs weigh- 

 ing from 130 to 150 pounds each as the 

 only food for 21 days, the hogs lost in 

 weight from 16 to 26 pounds each. When 

 turnips were added to the alfalfa hay 

 the pigs gained 7 to 8 pounds each dur- 

 ing a feeding period of 21 days. When 

 corn and peas were added to the turnips 

 and hay the grain was from 41 to 47 

 pounds each for a feeding period of 42 



Where hogs have been pastured on al- 

 falfa they readily learn to eat the hay 

 without cutting. Experiments at the 

 Nebraska station show that alfalfa chaff, 

 consisting mostly of leaves, can be sub- 

 stituted for shorts at the same price 

 per pound, for fattening pigs. Generally 

 speaking the third or fourth cutting of 

 alfalfa is considered best as hay for # 

 hogs, since it is finer and less woody. 

 Good results are secured when the hay 

 is fed in a trough or a rack with a 

 floor in it, although the more common 

 method of feeding it is to cut it in half- 

 inch lengths and feed it moistened 

 mixed with the grain ration. 



Clover hay i n winter should first be 

 run through a feed cutter and the 

 chaffed material softened by pouring 

 scalding water over it. The meal fed to 

 hogs should be mixed with this chopped 

 material, which may profitably be fed 

 once a day. Besides furnishing nutri- 

 ment the hay serves to distend the stom- 

 ach, as at pasture, and exercises a bene- 

 ficial influence. Boiled clover hay proved 

 about 20 per cent more effective than 

 clover silage as a feed for hogs getting 

 grain at the Oregon station. At the 

 Montana station hogs made better gains 

 when skim milk was used as a supple- 

 ment to the ration fed them than when 

 clover hay was fed, but much better 

 gains were made when clover hay was 

 fed than when grain alone was fed. In 

 another experiment 100 pounds of clo- 

 ver hay saved 33 pounds of grain worth 

 1 cent per pound, which gives clover 

 hay a value of $6.54 per ton. 



Cowpea hay when well cured and used 

 just as it came from the stack was fed to 

 hogs at the Oklahoma station receiving 

 grain, in comparison with hogs receiving 

 the same grain ration without the hay. 

 With hogs weighing about 155 pounds 

 each, from 8 to 10 pounds of hay per 

 day was fed. The hogs relished the hay 

 and ate from one-third to one-half the 

 amount fed them. In one experiment 

 the hogs receiving the hay made 150 per 

 cent better daily gains than those fed 

 grain alone, and in another experiment 

 91 per cent better daily gains. The sta- 

 tion points out that this result should 

 not be taken as justifying the abandon- 

 ment of good range and plenty of green 

 feed, when these are available, but if 

 hogs four months old must be shut up 

 and fed, a little good cowpea hay will be 

 a great help. 



