Growing Food for Pigs

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 226, 25 September 1935, Page 12

Growing Food for Pigs

A'study of the pig producing business makes it apparent that in this country it is founded, upon milk, whother skimmilk or whey. Those who have progressed, use grass as a valuable secondary feed, but supplementary feeding is necessary. This may bo bought or grown, and it pays better to purchase such feed than to do without it. The most profitable course of all is to grow the bulk of one’s requirements.

Two periods of shortage must he provided for: firstly, that of February to the winter; secondly that from August to early October. Really they aro continuous, but I have divided them for a purpose.

The so-called first period is a fattening time, tho second a growing time, assuming, of course, that two litters aro raised yearly, per sow. The first aro born between Juno and August, only sows, suckers and perhaps some stores aro then being carried. During the first period of shortage, iu the autumn, pig-raisers should lie feeding to get their second Jitters away as baeouers, before tho winter sets in, if possible. At this time tho milk supply is going down. Last season’s pigs were hurried out as porkers; in future that may uot be possible.

What can one grow to feed one’s pigs and fatten them? Two crops are outstandingly useful for tins purpose: Chevalier barley and partridge peas. Both have • •substance’ ’ and are solid foods.

Hurley is the easiest of all grains to grow. It matures rapidly and yields well. The small farmer need not worry about getting a binder to cut it, or a machine to thresh it. It can bo cut with a mower and “hayed,” and the pigs will do their own threshing and enjoy it. Much expense is saved and the results are the same as if bagged grain is fed. So too, with the peas. Many farmers on rich land have had disappointments with peas; they would not ripen. One grower on that class of country advises sowing a bushel of barley with the peas. The peas lift themselves oil the ground on the barley and ripen better. The two ripen together and are harvested as one crop. Ho practises what he preaches and says it has given good results.

I'or the winter feeding, it is worth while to provide some really good grass. To get this, a topdressing of ammoniated super applied in April will give great results from a pasture with a good ryegrass content. Of tho roots, carrots arc the most valuable owing to their nourishing qualities. One should make these a main winter crop. In addition, a supply of barley and peas should have been carried over from the autumn harvest.

With this provision, plus a few sacks of meat-meal, pigs can bo well-done right through the winter.

An essential point to he realised is that we can grow all the roots and fodder crops we please, hut still we must grow or purchase grain substances to put pig farming on a, thoroughly sound basis.