260 LIVESTOCK ON THE FARM 



OFFHAND FEEDING 



Many people are too indifferent in regard to this whole 

 matter even to attempt to feed hogs according to the method 

 outlined. For the benefit of such the following offhand rule 

 is here presented. If milk is available it should be diluted, 

 using one-half milk and one-half water. If then all the corn 

 is ground into a fine meal and put into this milk and water 

 together with all the other feeds used, a very thin slop can be 

 made for pigs about two months old. This slop should have 

 about the consistency of thick buttermilk. If these pigs are 

 to be finished for market at eight months of age the amount of 

 liquid used should be gradually reduced so that the slop has 

 the consistency of a thick mush at the finishing period. If 

 part of the corn is to be fed unground, the slop must be 

 made correspondingly thinner. 



If pigs are to be developed for breeding purposes the slop 

 should never be made thick. The breeding herd also should 

 have a thin slop. 



The quantity of milk mentioned will furnish about the right 

 quantity of protein during the first part of the period for pigs 

 that are to be developed for breeding purposes. During the 

 latter part of this period the amount of milk should be reduced. 



If milk is not available other nitrogenous concentrates 

 should be used, such as peas, soy beans, oil meal and tankage. 

 If the ration contains the proper amount of bulk and water, and 

 the pig be fed what it will clean up readily, the ration might 

 contain three parts of corn to one of peas, six parts of corn to 

 one of soy beans or oil meal and eight parts of corn to one of 

 tankage during the early part of the feeding period. As the 

 pigs grow older they should have less of the nitrogenous con- 

 centrates. Other carbohydrate concentrates should also be 

 used in addition to corn as a part of the ration. If clover or 

 alfalfa are available either in the form of pasture or as hay less 

 of the nitrogenous concentrates need be used. 



For market pigs a little more of the nitrogenous concen- 

 trates should be used during the growing period than is 

 specified for breeding pigs and less during the fattening stage. 



