308 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



At the close of thk paper Dr. Hammer sa»d: "This brings 

 up the idea of marking pigs. We have a way of marking our 

 pigs which we have tried for four or five years and for the 

 benefit of some who would like to understand a simple way of 

 marking pigs I will give it. It can be done with only three 

 marks in each ear. We do the marking with snippers. For 

 the first litter cut one mark in the upper part of the right ear, 

 second litter, one mark in the middle of right ear, third litter 

 one mark in lower part of right ear, fourth litter upper part of 

 left ear, fifth litter middle part of left ear and sixth litter lower 

 part of left ear. You want to cut as little as you can." Dr. 

 Hammer continued the manner of marking up the thirteenth 

 litter and said, "We can mark twenty litteFS so, with no more 

 than three small cuts and we have found it a very nice and 

 easy way." 



Mr. Turner continued on this subject, saying: 'T 

 have marked our hogs for many years in accordance with 

 Mr. Reese's plan only his checks do not go far enough. If 

 you make your marks in a certain pait of the ear, it is some- 

 times hard, as the pig is likely to slip away and you miss, 

 I can mark a hundred litters and have them all different with 

 the system which Mr. Reese gives only you have to carry it 

 out a little further. We have not the least trouble in identify- 

 ing any litter up to thirty or forty or fifty litters. Of course 

 it does cut a good deal. You will have three marks in the 

 left ear but no more than two in the right. One mark in right 

 ear represents first litter, two marks in right ear second, one 

 mark in left ear third and so on. Three marks in left ear 

 represents ninth litter. When we come to ten we put one mark 

 in upper part of right ear and for twenty, two marks and for 

 thirty, one mark in upper part of left ear. We can mark ninety 

 nine litters and not have any tw© alike." 



Concerning the care of the sow Mr. Munson said : "There are a 

 few things in the paper that I do not agree with. On some lines 

 I may be wrong but I believe there are lots of times if we let the 

 hog have her way and use a little sense with it that the hog and 

 man both will be better off. I have heard time and again never 

 to feed a sow until after forty-eight hours. I think that is 

 foolish. After farrowing time if my sow asks me for food 



