FIFTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IX. 615 



to choose their own feed, hence we have the development of the forage 

 crop system, the hogging-down system, the Iowa system of self feeding, 

 and so on. 



Let us pause a moment and consider the self feeding or "cafeteria" 

 idea. It is quite generally recognized that sucking pigs do better if they 

 are allowed a creep in which to go and select some of their feeds. It is 

 also well agreed that if pasture is available for these pigs, that they will 

 thrive better than in the dry lot. With the sucking pigs, therefore, we 

 see them choosing from these feeds: Mother's milk (fed at several dif- 

 ferent mammae); pasture (usually of different sorts); grain feeds within 

 the creep (there may be shelled corn, middlings, tankage and others). 

 Is it any wonder that pigs fed in this manner do well? 



The forage crop system of summer swine production is most excellent 

 because of one big reason, namely, that the hog has some opportunity 

 to balance his own ration. If the pasture be alfalfa, or rape, or red clover, 

 he can eat much or little of it, and in this way vary the proportion of 

 "side-dish" protein which he eats along with the corn that is thrown over 

 the fence to him. If both corn and high protein pasture are supplied at 

 free will, then he has even a greater opportunity to make his ration 

 efficient. Of course, when the pig runs out on forage, he can eat of the 

 soil; this is of advantage, in that complex mineral substances are supplied 

 thereby. Of all the systems of "swine production in the summer time," 

 the forage crop system is the most economical under present existing 

 commercial conditions. 



"Hogging down corn" is nothing more nor less than a self feeding 

 system, and a most natural one at that. If the hogs are allowed free 

 access to rape in the corn field, with possibly alfalfa alongside, then the 

 scheme becomes a "cafeteria" one, in that the hogs have a choice of 

 several feeding stuffs. C^rn is hogged down successfully in every corner 

 of Iowa; as a self feeding scheme, hogging down is a great physiologic 

 and economic success. 



Hogs that follow cattle are universally believed to do exceptionally 

 well. Why is this? Surely, one of the reasons is that the hog has some 

 choice as to what he should eat, and he shows his preferences unmis- 

 takably; it is part of the self feeder scheme. 



Many of you believe that swine know more about how much water 

 they should drink than men do, hence you allow it at free will. You 

 have faith in the hog's ability to balance his liquid ration. So, too, many 

 of you supply salt at free will, thinking that this is the best way; and 

 from experimental data we secured at Ames recently, it would seem that 

 your thoughts are about right in this regard. Then, again, thousands of 

 feeders place such condiments as these before swine: Limestone, cob 

 charcoal, slack coal, wood ashes, and others, with the faith that pigs will 

 mix these in with their daily diet in much more economical fashion than 

 when these are mixed with the feeds and "doped out" as so much un- 

 welcome hash. Truly, the hog does not like hash any more than does 

 the average human layman. 



Now it is a peculiar commentary upon the good judgment of feeders 

 that they should have the utmost faith in the hog as regards his ability 



