﻿12 BULLETIN 1143, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the alfalfa pastures were stocked, but was warranted by the earlier 

 and more rapid spring grefwrth made by tbo brome-grass. On tbis 

 date the grass was 8 inches high. Hogs on the row plat weighed 

 764 pounds per acre, while those on the broadcast plat bad an acre 

 weignt of 77S pounds. The forage carried eacli lot until July 9, a 

 period of 70 days. At tbis time the pasturage was so coarse and 

 unpalatable that satisfactory gains were not being made. The grass 

 on the row plat was tall and coarse, while that on the broadcast plat 

 was short and dry. 



Pigs on the row plat returned an acre gain of 350 pounds, or a daily 

 gain of 0.G3 of a pound per pig. The broadcast plat yielded 374 

 pounds of gain per acre, or a daily average of 0.G7 of a pound per 

 pig. The corn consumed on each plat was 1,344 pounds. This was 

 a ratio of 3.S4 pounds of corn per pound of gain for the row plat 

 and 3.59 pounds of corn per pound of gain for the broadcast plat. 

 The results were somewhat in favor of the broadcast brome-grass. 



The unpastured halves of each plat were cut for hay on June 15. 

 From the row plat 1.392 pounds of hay per acre were obtained, while 

 tbe broadcast plat yielded 720 pounds of bay per acre. The check 

 plat of brome-grass sown broadcast yielded 664 pounds of bay. 



• RESULTS IN 1919. 



RYE. 



Conditions in 1919 were favorable for starting the pasture work 

 about two weeks earlier than heretofore. Ten fall pigs with a 

 total weight of 1,103 pounds were placed on the acre of rye on April 

 25, when the crop was about 7 inches high. The animals took to 

 the forage readily and during the early part of the period made good 

 gains. The season was very dry, and the growth of rye was checked 

 to such an extent that the 10 pigs were able to keep the whole plat 

 eaten off uniformly. This was the first year the plat did not need 

 to be clipped to prevent the unpastured plants from maturing. 



At the end of 56 days the hogs were removed and placed on the 

 plat of peas. The gains made amounted to 287 pounds, which was 

 an average daily increase of 0.51 of a pound for each animal. The 

 corn fed was 1,403 pounds, or a ratio of 4.89 pounds of grain per 

 pound of gain. 



The check plat made 3.6 bushels per acre. 



PEAS. 



The crop of peas was severely damaged by drought, and but little 

 forage was produced. The 10 pigs were placed on the plat on June 

 20 when they weighed 1,390 pounds. The peas were in the green- 

 pea stage and were readily eaten. 



The small crop cut the pasture period to seven days, the pigs 

 being removed on June 27. A gain of 77 pounds was made by the 

 lot during this period. The average daily increase was 1.1 pounds 

 per day per pig and was made with the aid of 207 pounds of corn 

 supplementing the forage, a ratio of 1 pound of gain to 2.69 pounds 

 of corn. 



The check plat of peas dried up before harvest, and no yield was 

 obtained. 



A total gain of 364 pounds was made on the rye and pea plats 

 during the combined periods amounting to 63 days. A total of 

 1,610 pounds of corn was consumed. 



