Alfalfa Pasture Versus Dry Lot for Growing and Fattening Spring Pigs

Abstract

During the past four years the Michigan Station has conducted a series of experiments to compare the rapidity of gains and the cost of gains made by growing and fattening pigs fed on alfalfa pasture with those made by similar pigs fed in a dry lot. General Plan of the Experiments During each of the three experiments reported in this paper, alfalfa pasture was available at all times for the pasture pigs and good well cured second cutting alfalfa hay was fed in a rack to the pigs in dry lot. Each group of pigs was self-fed shelled corn, and a protein supplement of 60% tankage and old process linseed meal in equal parts by weight, and had access to a mineral mixture of 45 pounds feeding bonemeal, 20 pounds pulverized limestone and 30 pounds salt. Water was supplied in automatic waterers. The area of the alfalfa pasture was one acre and that of the dry lot one-eight acre.