FIFTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IX. 625 



8. Don't think that because the self feeding method works out meri- 

 toriously in many circumstances with swine, that the same will be true 

 of cattle, horses, sheep, poultry and goats. 



9. Don't forget that the hog is a i)hysiologist, not an economist; be- 

 cause of his physiological instincts, he will eat to suit himself; and if 

 you feed him sugar, he eats it without respect to price. Corn at 60 

 cents a bushel and corn at 3 cents a bushel, so long as tbe quality is 

 the same, makes little difference to the pig; it is all alike to him. 



10. Don't always expect the hog to economically balance the ra- 

 tion, no matter what feeds you allow. 



11. Don't fail to appreciate that "hogging down corn" is practiced 

 by your fellow Iowa farmers because it pays, and do you not know that 

 it is the natural self feeder method of harvesting the corn crop? 



12. Don't you realize that when fattening hogs are lying down that 

 they are making every ounce of grain count? They lie down more when 

 self fed than when hand fed. 



13. Don't expect ideal results if you self feed tankage or meat meal, 

 if you limit the corn ration; when the pig gets hungry, it is to eat 

 tankage or nothing, and he is likely to eat the tankage. What assur- 

 ance has he that you are going to come back again with the feed that 

 he likes most, namely, corn? 



14. Don't weather the self feeder out in the rain, and the hail, and 

 the snow (especially the latter), because such a method of procedure 

 will inhibit consumption of feed. Put the feeder under warm shelter, 

 and give the pigs the sort of surroundings you yourself like best. 



15. Don't fail to realize that rats, chickens, birds (especially the 

 cholera carrying pigeon), and mice enjoy the self feeder idea as much 

 as the swine; guard your operations accordingly. 



16. Don't neglect to self feed salt; this has worked admirably in our 

 self feeding experience and observations. It is superior to the old 

 "guess-at-it" method of mixing salt with the feed. Of course, one 

 should not feed "brine" at free will, because that is not pure salt, and 

 is liable to produce bad results. Start the pigs on salt slowly, and 

 then leave it before them all the time. "When swine are accustomed to 

 salt, you can profitably leave it before them all of the time. 



17. Don't feel you are compelled to trust the careless, unreliable 

 human feeder always; if conditions warrant, you may use a self feeder 

 and thus avoid the ill consequences resulting from unskilled men. 



18. Don't lose interest in youf hogs; visit them reguluarly and give 

 them the attention they so richly deserve. Theoretically, all hogs not 

 immunized are subject to cholera and other diseases, and although the 

 self feeder may be of some assistance in the prevention of trouble, yet 

 it will not absolve you from giving them the closest of attention. 



19. Don't self feed unless you keep plenty of drinking water before 

 the hogs always; self watering is part of the self feeding game. 



20. Don't condemn the hogs because they root; ofttimes they root 

 because you have not fed what the appetite demands, that is, what the 

 pigs must have in order to develop normally. The same may be said 



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