Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 November 1891 — LIVE STOCK. [ARTICLE]

LIVE STOCK.

Feeiline Pumpkin* to Hog*. The National Stockman says: The farmer who is so fortunate as to have a good supply of pumpkins has a valuable food in them as a part ration for his fattening hogs. It is claimed by some that hogs will fatten on them as their only food. We would not care to risk the statement so far as to undertake to fit a lot of hogs for market with them. We would feed as many each day as the hogs would eat up clean, and then give them all the corn they would consume besides. Young hogs with a ration of pumpkins each day will stand a much longer feeding on corn alone. There can be no doubt that the mixed ration will be much better assimilated than the corn when fed alone. It is a wasteful way of feeding, to throw out enough corn or pumpkins, or both at one time, to last the hogs two or three days. Their food should be given them sweet and clean, at least twice a day. Another plan of feeding pumpkins to hogs that has been found to produce excellent results, is to begin early in the fall, while the fattening hogs are in the pasture lots, give them all they will eat as the supply lasts, then begin with corn, Pumpkins alone will fatten hogs quite rapidly, but the pork from such feeding is soft and undesirable, and needs a finishing with corn to make it first-class. Pumpkins are cheaper than corn—besides being a specially health giving food, hence the fat and flesh added in the beginning is more economically produced and the profits proportionally increased.