High Levels of Alfalfa in the Rations of Growing-Fattening Swine

Abstract

Growth studies have been conducted with 102 growing-fattening pigs fed rations containing from 10 to 60 percent alfalfa. There was little difference in the rate of gain of pigs fed rations containing from 10 to 30 percent alfalfa. Fair gains were observed in the animals fed 50 percent alfalfa compared with those fed the 10 percent alfalfa level. Terramycin fed at the rate of 6.2 mg./lb. of feed in 20 percent alfalfa rations failed to give a growth response. A pelleted 50 percent alfalfa-grain mixture increased significantly the rate of gain as compared with the ground mixture. Carcasses of the pigs grown on rations containing 30 to 50 percent alfalfa were graded medium, with a small proportion of choice #1. Copyright © . .