340 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



take care of itself. The idea of carrying a pig fi-om birth in full fat 

 form until it reaches the block or breeding pen is not only ruinous to 

 the breeding qualities but has caused our experiment stations to show 

 an extra cost to the last 100 pounds of weight. This should be the cheap- 

 est. Excessive fat at an early age is one of the greatest causes of a 

 lack of vitality in our swine. Six weeks is long enough to feed a hog 

 to finish for the market. Carry piggie along with his flesh so that two 

 weeks will bring him to full feed and four weeks of full feed will finish 

 him. Then put him on the market at any age to suit the feeder. 



The entire evening session was given over to tlie expert swine 

 judges and a discussion of tlie revision of the score card. Mr. 

 Hoffman said that there lias been a good deal of talk for some 

 time about the score card and the advisability of revising it. 

 We thought it best to have a little talk along this line at this 

 meeting and we hope to hear from every man who has any sug- 

 gestions to make. If we make an attempt to change the score 

 card we must remember that it will not affect only ourselves but 

 those to come after us. Any change that we may make may 

 be for better or for worse. Mr. Hoffman continued : 



If you read the American Swine Herd you may have read the contro- 

 versy that has been carried on in that paper. I think it has done some 

 good in one respect at least, that it has aroused some thought. I speak 

 of this because I think that the articles that have appeared in that paper 

 on this subject are typical of the idea that is in the public mind. Two 

 of these articles state that the score card is neither harmful nor bene- 

 ficial, but it is simply red tape and that it is of no practical value to 

 the farmer. If this is true we might as well adjourn this meeting and 

 go home. It is folly for us to spend our time and money if it is of no 

 use to us, but I believe that it is and this article states that while the 

 score card is of no practical value that it is good in one way — as an 

 educational chart to place ideals in mind. That is really the intent of 

 the score card and if it will do that and make breeders raise better 

 hogs it will do all that was intended originally. We have two classes 

 pursuing different methods, the breeder and the farmer. I don't know 

 which is above the other, if either is. Therefore, I say that if the 

 score card will place ideals in the mind it will enable the breeder to 

 more speedily develop his animal. 



The statement is further made that the person who goes into the show 

 ring to judge hogs will find it such a long drawn-out process to use the 

 score card that it would be impractical. Even if the fair management 

 would hold the fair open for the length of time that it would take to 

 do this, he would not do it for the reason that he sees himself that it is 

 impractical. But when the judge goes in the show ring and passes 

 judgment according to his own ideals, where does he get his ideals? 

 We have already admitted that the score card places the ideal in the 

 mind. 



