FEEDING AND CARE OF SWINE 



351 



Self feeders. — Eward of the Iowa Station ^ has conducted numerous 

 trials with self feeders for various classes of swine. His results show 

 that this method of feeding is well adapted to the quick fattening of 

 well-grown shotes, for fattening old sows, and for growing, fattening 

 shotes where it is desired to feed them an unlimited grain allowance. 



Fig. 98. — Fattening Pigs with a Self Feeder 



Pigs self-fed on corn and tankage, with or without other supplements, make 

 rapid and economical gains. (From Eward, Iowa Station.) 



The self feeder should not be used when rapid gains are not wanted, 

 for instance, where it is desired to force pigs to make the maximum 

 use of pasturage by limiting the grain allowance. It should not be 

 used for pregnant sows except early in pregnancy or unless some 

 bulky feed, of which ground alfalfa is the best under corn-belt 

 conditions, is mixed with the grain. By decreasing or increasing the 

 proportion of corn the gilts or sows may be kept in the proper 

 condition. 



The large and economical gains which may be secured with growing 

 pigs self-fed in dry lots on corn and suitable supplements are shown 

 in a trial in which 45-lb. pigs were allowed access to shelled corn and 

 various supplements in separate self feeders for 162 days. Salt, char- 

 coal, and ground limestone were supplied in addition. The pigs in 



5 Proc. Amer. Soc. Anim. Prod., 1014. 



