MONEY IN LUCERNE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 405, 14 January 1909, Page 2

MONEY IN LUCERNE.

VALUABLE, Fob PICS. NEARLY AS GOOD ASBItAN.

To those dairy farmers .who intend'to follow up the suggestions made in; thiscolumu. last week, ana make a small beginning at lucerne growing, some recent Australian notes on the value of the crop for pig feeding,will be interesting. •: The extensive borid'emnatioiis of pigs submitted for slaughter for tuberculosis or poor- condition may bo greatly- reduced by .liberal feeding, with :such a food as lucerne is claimed, to be, and it is the cheapest .to grow; of all fodder, and hay crops. It is claimed by those who use it "that it makes frame and carcass rapidly,; and'gives the bacon that • much-desired - • ■ streakiness.' Some pointed comments on lucerne for pigs-, were recently , published in the "Agricultural" Gazette" of New. South Wales, a State where the crop has , been much tested of .-'late'." Makes Meat and Bone. "Owing .to its .. high ,-- protein,. contents,".; says the "Gazette, 1 ' ,"lucerne„-is ; ,.known to be one of the most. suitable foods for . giving vitality- and strength .to tendons, ', muscles,' and' nerves. -. It assists-, in-.developing the bony structure-of-all-domestic .animals, andin addition it : produces.:lean : meat., It .is-a cheap and relishable fodder foiv .pigs in all stages of their growth^ : more ■ especially for sows (tyring tho'. period between service; and farrowing; and for boars and young : pigs, when building up-frame prior l to fattening. It has' long been recognised that' while wheateri bran provides'an excellent food for cows in milk, its effect on' pigs is' distinctly different!.and' its Use iis > ; food' for-them- is-contra-indicated. . The object of feeding (bran, is to provide protein in the dairy-ration'ili a conveniently concentrated' form. ■. »"• Instead of Bran. , ' "The best substitute.is lucerne; as.may be seen by the following analysis; in' which the-, leading food constituents closely agree:-— .: Digestive nutrients in lUUlb.,,ot Dran ana lucerne hay.-' , ' Carbo- , ' Protein.,,, hydrates. V Fat. Wheat bran :.... 12.2 -' 39.2;. 2.7 Lucerne hay 11.0 . 36.6 .1.2 i "It is also'known that lucerne," either ,as pasture or hay, is palatable 1 and readily as-, similated or oonverted into blood, otherwise digestible. In studying the - composition of the plant, it Js found that the leaves are 40 per cent., richer, in protein, 30 per cent., in fat, and'ls per cent, -in : mineral matter than other portions. When feeding, the aim, is-to design a. fairly, narrpw-ration,ranging from 1:4.5 to!-l :6. The former'is-more suitable for young growing pigs,, and it inay be gradually widened to-'l:6 for.pigs from'fiveto, six months old. Develops the Youngsters. ' . "in arranging a ration ;the protein content is of equal importance with that of cost, but' both must receive consideration. The general principle applies that, foods containing a high percentage of-protein, are-costly, whereas . the wider rations containing! more ca'.t.bo-hydrate? aro cheaper. A. narrow, ration produces ,'tht quickest gain ?in ; weight, ; especially ' in ypuiig" ;animals,-,-.he.nce.;the .increasing the. carbo-hydrates in the ration as the-pigs grow older. .; Experience bears out't-ix scientific truth that protein the quantity of. red meat. .When pig's are fed on,lucerne in !su%ient.-.iiuajitity of lean throughout tH'e, Ihjish. ,1 ; . During; the : ' °! -food demandfor ■tissue-making,, and. developing the unborn, pigs, at birth; '" : 'As '"i{ "rule' our" grasses' are' 'sufficiently rich, but it is always an advantage to< jive lucerne. ~,-The sows,.are. in-, better condi-, tion for suckling,. and the young more thrifty and sturdy /a^birth.'J' ;■ ■ - When Sows; Eat Their Young. ." - • : ■: ( " When denied -food "containing a proper quantity of; protein, and fed too largely.on. maize or. other carbonaceous foods, the sow becomes abnormally depraved in the desire for foods containing .protein,land by no means infrequently satisfies this iliordinate appetite by eating! the .sucklings just- born. Young pigs, after iveanirig, when fed on lucerne,, judiciously balanced :with -grain, have more tu'sty vital organs s "stronger, bone, arid' more' blood. - Boars' at the; stud'; are always better for service with a diet, jnpluding lucerne."' A Balanced Food. ; "In all cases lucerne,alone, either as'hajy •green fodder, or . isilag©, ■ is ■ too • narrow' a, ration, ..and hence 'should .be .balanced - with, maize, barley, -rye, ;oats, potatoes;;or'other starchy foods. Lucerne hay .or green ,fodder is best fed. from. v a rack', as-pigs are 'so liable to injure arid soil food.of the kind fed-on the floor of the sty. , The practice ox depasturing lucerno is highly profitable. Pigs aro verypartial to it. -Much depends "on the nature (if the stand as to quantity,-but under average conditions 1 acre has'been , found ample tp graze 13 pigs, when supplemented with grain.. A gain (if 77,61b,; : of pork per acre was ipado in a test in Kansas on- lucerne-grazing, supplemented \vith maize.'". In light sandy' loams, snch as we find in many parts ;6f tlib Hawkesbury district, at -the college, ,aud other parts of the State, direct'grazing is not; satisfactory,'arid the pigs have been known tjo destroy the- stand, in two. seasons.- ' In such cases it is better to mow, and . feed, through racks.; Where the land is a heavy or medium heavy loam, with'the plants full grown, i.e., at . least three yeaVs: old,-, then, urazing may bo conducted, with periods of to enable the, plants to produce another growth, and before tho crowns -of-the-plants can be injured by too_close grazing. Feeding green lucerne will .yield a greater .quantity, of pork per aero thau clover or grasses, and at much less cost.". ,