NINTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VI 217 
There being no further discussion on this subject, J. B. Ashby of 
Audubon, Iowa, read his paper on ''Scientific Swine Feeding," 
which was as follows: 
The science of swine feeding is a broad subject. For lack of time, 
knowledge and through sympathy for the audience I will not discuss it 
at any length. The word science includes everything relating to the art 
or work of growing, harvesting and administering the many varieties and 
combinations of feeds to the hog. 
Feeding hogs is a subject in which every farmer and breeder is or 
should be deeply interested. It is of universal importance; and I only 
wish I could go into it deeply and in a way that would interest you men 
here. 
Starting with the new born pig, it requires practice and skill to feed 
the mother so that she will bring her litter out without scouring them. 
When this is done the first great danger is over. To do this she should 
be fed lightly and systematically. The same man should feed and care 
•for her that fed her previous to farrowing. He should have his work 
well planned and good judgment should direct his movements. Many 
writers advocate the use of a strictly milk producing ration, but experi- 
ence has shown that this is wrong. The flow of milk at this time is 
naturally greater than the pigs will take in the majority of cases. For 
this reason, a light feed of corn and oats is better for the sow and pigs 
both. In the course of a week the ration should be gradually changed to 
a slop of shorts and this increased until the ration consists of one-half 
of such feeds. 
At the age of three weeks the pigs should commence eating and they 
should be encouraged by the use of a creep. The feed should consist of 
a slop of some good mill feeds. From the time the pigs commence eating, 
the expense of feeding gradually increases and with it the value of the 
pig increases if he is doing well and is properly fed. 
It is not my purpose to propound the balanced ration fact or theory 
here today. However, the purpose or final end of the feeding operation is 
to produce a hog with strong bony framework and a development of 
muscles to such an extent that all the vital organs, such as the lungs, 
heart, digestive and reproductive organs, will be as perfect as possible 
when the hog is matured. To do this, the scientific, or, as I would rather 
call it, the systematic way of feeding must come into operation. Feeds 
high in protein and ash must be used or the development will not be so 
complete as it otherwise would be. Any of the following feeds may be 
used: wheat, wheat shorts, middlings, oil meal, oat shorts, packing house 
by-products, alafalfa and clover pastures. The ration should consist for 
the most part of one or a combination of these feeds. Every man has 
an idea of what combination he likes best. 
The feeding of correctives, tonics and worm powders is at present 
advocated by a great many men and it is all right, but these are found 
on the farm, with the exception of the worm exterminator, in the form 
of corn cob, charcoal and grass. As a worm exterminator I have found 
five grains of santonin and three grains of calomel to each eighty pounds 
