Biographical note

Solon A. “Bud” Ewing was born July 21, 1930. He received his B.S. (1952) in animal husbandry, M.S. (1956) in animal nutrition, and Ph.D. (1958) in animal nutrition (ruminant) with a double minor in physiology and biochemistry from Oklahoma State University.

Ewing served as First Lieutenant in the United States Air Force (1952-1954). He was Instructor (1956-1958) of Animal Science at Oklahoma State University prior to accepting a position as Assistant Professor (1958-1962) of Animal Science at Iowa State University. Ewing was promoted to Associate Professor (1962-1964) of Animal Science. He then accepted the position of Professor (1964-1968) of Animal Science at Oklahoma State University. Ewing returned to Iowa State as Assistant Director (1968-1973) of Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station and Professor (1968-1997) of Animal Science and was later appointed Department Head (1973-1992) of Animal Science. Ewing retired from Iowa State University in 1997.

Ewing went on sabbatical to the University of California-Davis as a Visiting Professor of Animal Science (1992-1993). During this time, Ewing researched stress physiology and behavior in farm animals. From this study, he wrote Farm Animal Well-Being: Stress Physiology, Animal Behavior, and Environmental Design (1999) with Donald C. Lay, Jr. and Eberhard von Borell (call number SF756.7 E94 1999).

Among Dr. Ewing’s accomplishments was the establishment, at Iowa State University, of the first animal science faculty positions in the United States in enterprise management systems analysis adapted to personal computer technology. He received numerous awards and honors including the Iowa State University Faculty Citation (1990); the Animal Science Hall of Fame award (1979); and the Gamma Sigma Delta Award of Merit for Distinguished Service to Agriculture (1986). He was also recognized as a Distinguished Graduate in Animal Science by Oklahoma State University (1991). The Iowa Pork Producers Association named him Honorary Master of Pork Producer (1991) and he was elected Fellow of the American Society of Animal Science (1991). In addition, Dr. Ewing was inducted into the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association Hall of Fame (1992). He was a member of several professional and honorary societies, including the American Society of Animal Science, the Dairy Shrine Club, Alpha Zeta, Gamma Sigma Delta, and FarmHouse Fraternity.

Dr. Ewing married Dorothy Folks in 1952; they had two daughters, Anne and Linda. Solon A. Ewing passed away June 21, 2002 and is interred in the Iowa State University Cemetery.
 

Collection description

This collection (ca 1960-2003, n.d.) contains biographical information and several publications regarding animal science, mainly in cattle and poultry, and his seminars in Japan on cattle guidelines and food intake. Ewing’s papers also contain thirty-five presentations on agriculture and animal science, including livestock nutrition and beef production. In addition, the collection includes course materials for animal science classes focusing on animal behavior. The papers include seven color slides of barns formerly located near Iowa State Center. There is also an audio cassette of comments Ewing made at Jay Lush’s memorial service.

Organization

The collection is arranged alphabetically.

1

1

Associations - Committee on Future Opportunities for Iowa Agriculture

1985

1

2

Biographical - News Clippings

1961-2002

1

3

Biographical – Photographs of Ewing (3 3x5 b&w and 2 3x5 color)

n.d.

1

4

Biographical - Vitas

1968-2003

2

36

Course Materials - Animal Science 336, Farm Animal Behavior and Well-Being - Class Schedule and Goals

n.d.

2

37

Course Materials - Animal Science 336x, Introduction to Domestic Animal Behavior

n.d.

2

39

Course Materials - Animal Science 336x, Introduction to Domestic Animal Behavior - Evaluation

1994

2

38

Course Materials - Animal Science 501, Survey of Animal Science Disciplines

1994

2

2

Presentations - “Beef Cows in the Corn Belt”

1970

2

3

Presentations - “Cattle Feeding in Iowa - the Next 20 Years”

1980

2

22

Presentations - “Dr. S.A. Ewing’s Talks”

1968-1969

2

4

Presentations - “Evaluation of Academic Units on the Basis of Productivity and Costs”

1986

2

5

Presentations - “Evaluation Performance of Faculty in a Quantitative and Qualitative Way”

1987

2

6

Presentations - “Expanding the Beef Cow Herd in the Grain Producing Regions”

1972

2

7

Presentations - “Future of Food Animal Production in the Midwestern Region”

1983

2

8

Presentations - “Iowa Beef Improvement Association - Past Present and Future”

1982

2

9

Presentations - “Iowa’s Future in the Beef Cattle Business”

1980

2

11

Presentations - “Iowa’s Opportunity in the Cattle Industry”

1974

2

10

Presentations - “Livestock Production Systems”

1991

2

1

Presentations - “Look Ahead at Agriculture Research Programs”

1972

2

12

Presentations - “Opportunities Related to Animal and Animal Product Industries in Iowa”

1985

2

13

Presentations - “Overview of Biotechnology in the Department of Animal Science and Collaborating Departments”

1989

2

14

Presentations - “Pastures, Cows and Technology - Some Things about Putting it Together”

1973

2

15

Presentations - “Perspective on Rural Community Development”

1972

2

16

Presentations - “Regional Adjustments in Beef Production”

1973

2

17

Presentations - “Remarks to the Animal Science Department”

1973

2

18

Presentations - “Resource Use and Regional Adjustments in Livestock Production”

1982

2

19

Presentations - “Role of Livestock in Use of Feed Resources, Land Use, and Resource Conservation”

1975

2

20

Presentations - “Some Concerns about Farmers in the World About Them”

1973

2

23

Presentations - “The Academic Community in Agriculture - a Resource for Better Service”

1979

2

24

Presentations - “The Animal Welfare/Animal Rights Issue”

1992

2

25

Presentations - “The Beef Cow - Important in the Future of Your Practice”

1960 ca

2

26

Presentations - “The Beef Industry - In a World of Limited Resources”

1974-1975

2

27

Presentations - “The Beef Industry - Inventory and Change”

1968

2

28

Presentations - “The Beef Research and Information Act”

1976

2

29

Presentations - “The Case for Beef Cows in the Corn Belt”

1971

2

30

Presentations - “The Corn Belt is New Cow Country”

n.d.

2

31

Presentations - “The Livestock and Poultry Industry in Iowa”

1985

2

32

Presentations - “The Poultry Industry in Iowa - Today and Tomorrow”

1982

2

33

Presentations - “The Role of Corn and Sorghum Refuse Feeds in an Expanding Midwestern Beef Industry”

1969

2

34

Presentations - “What about Cow Size?”

1976

2

21

Presentations- “Dr. Ewing’s Speeches”

1971-1973

2

35

Presentations- “Welcome”

1973

1

5

Publications - “Area Gains a Larger Share of the Nation’s Cow Herd”

1971

1

16

Publications - “Cumulative Influence of Level of Wintering on the Lifetime Performance of Beef Females Through Seven Calf Crops”

1967

1

6

Publications - “Department of Animal Science, Contributions through Research and Development”

1984-2000

1

7

Publications - “Effects of Nutritional Level Imposed from Birth to Eight Months of Age on Subsequent Growth and Development Patterns of Full-fed Beef Calves”

1968

1

8

Publications - “Essentials of Farm Animal Well-Being”

1996

1

9

Publications - “Evaluation of Academic Units on the Basis of Productivity and Costs”

1986

1

10

Publications - “Frontiers for Herefords”

1969

1

17

Publications - “Influence of Caloric Source and Bulk on Feed Intake and Performance of Finishing Steers”

1965

1

11

Publications - “Influence of Level of Nitrogen Application to Wheat Pasture on Vitamin A Status of Beef Calves”

1967

1

12

Publications - “Influence of Mature Cow Size on Feed and Energy Requirements”

1967

1

18

Publications - “Influence of Stilbestrol Implants on the Performance of Calves on Wheat Pasture or Sorghum Silage”

1967

1

15

Publications - “North Central Task Force on Range and Forage Research Needs for Red Meat Production”

1976

1

19

Publications - “Role of Corn and Sorghum Refuse Feeds in an Expanding Midwestern Beef Industry”

1969

1

13

Publications - Japan Seminars

n.d.

1

14

Publications - Listing of Ewing’s Publications

n.d.

3

1

Remarks - Jay Lush memorial service (1 audio cassette)

1982

2

40

Slides - Images of Barns Formerly Located Near the Iowa State Center (7 color slides)

1975