DRY-LAND PASTURE CROPS FOR HOGS. 7 
RESULTS IN 1917. 
RYE. 
In 1917 a scarcity of suitable hogs for this pasturing work allowed 
but six Duroc-Jersey fall pigs to be used on the rye plat.* These 
began the grazing period on May 11 at an initial weight of 499 pounds. 
At this date the rye was about 6 to 7 inches high and well tillered. 
The forage, appeared to be very palatable and was eaten readily 
by the animals during the early part of the season. The small 
number of pigs to the acre was not sufficient to keep the pasturage 
grazed down. By June 19 a large part of it had become too coarse 
to be palatable and the animals were confining their feeding to small 
areas where the rye had been kept short and new growth was appear- 
ing. The coarse forage was clipped, and a new growth came on 
immediately. This was consumed, but the gains made from it 
did not equal those made earlier in the season. The animals were 
removed on July 17. A total weight of 762 pounds was recorded 
on this date, showing a gain of 263 pounds for the 67-day period, 
or an average of 0.65 of a pound per pig perday. The corn fed totaled 
ae pounds for the period, or a ratio of 3.46 pounds of corn per pound 
of gain. 
The poor growth of the rye toward the end of the period would 
have justified removing the hogs at least 10 days earlier. 
Rye on the check plat yielded 10.4 bushels per acre. 
PEAS. 
The crop of peas was seriously affected by a cold wet spring, which 
so reduced germination that the stand was estimated at about 30 
per cent. The forage was further reduced by a hailstorm on July 
4, that stripped pods and leaves from the vines and beat them into 
the ground. 
The pigs were held on the rye pasture longer than the forage war- 
ranted in order to give the peas a chance to recover. On July 17 
the plat was stocked with six pigs from the plat of rye. At this 
date the few peas remaining on the vines were in the green-pea 
stage and therefore younger than was the case in 1916. The per- 
centage of grain to vines was very small, and the 2 per cent ration 
of corn was again deemed advisable to supplement the pasturage. 
The six pigs harvested the plat in 22 days and were immediately 
removed to the acre of beardless barley. A total gain of 174 pounds 
was made. This was at the rate of 1.32 pounds per pig each day 
and was made on a corn ratio of 1 pound of gain for each 2.06 pounds 
of corn fed. 
The acre check plat returned 2.3 bushels of thrashed peas. An 
estimate made at the time of harvest was to the effect that about 
50 per cent of the peas had been beaten from the vines and could 
not be gathered for thrashing. 
In spite of the hailstorm and other factors the 1 acre of peas 
with the corn supplement furnished continuous grazing for six pigs 
for the 22 days between the rye and barley pastures. 
3 One of these animals was found to be with pig after the experiment started and was removed from 
the plat at the end of 61 days. A weight equal to the average of the other five hogs is used for this animal 
in all caleulations made for rye. This hog was replaced by another on the pea and barley pastures. This 
substitution accounts for the discrepancy of 21 pounds in the weight of the lot at the end of the rye and 
the beginning of the pea pasture. 
