276 



EXPEllIMENT IX CATTLE FEEDING. 



grown upon good land, and were apparently of good quality; 

 they were in fine condition until 20tli January 1881, after 

 which, owing to the very severe weather, they sometimes had to 

 be drawn from the field in middling condition ; they were, how- 

 ever, always washed in fresh water and sliced. The low 

 temperature at which the turnips were sometimes given did 

 not seem specially to interfere with the progress of the lot fed 

 wholly upon turnips. The byre in which the cattle were fed 

 vras very comfortable and well-ventilated, and although the 

 temperature outside stood for several days below zero, ice about 

 the thickness of a penny was found in the water-pails only on 

 one morning. The cattle were well combed daily, comfortably 

 littered, and were marked by different numbers clipped on the 

 rump. The opposite table gives the results obtained. 



If nothinsf is counted on the straw consumed, and if we assume 

 that the 50 lbs. of turnips used in each of the experiments pro- 

 duced one-third of the gain obtained by the use of 150 lbs., the 

 following quantities were required to produce — 



1 lb. live increase. 

 Turnips, . . . 9 6 'SO lbs. 

 Linseed cake, . . 4"00 „ 



Decorticated cotton cake, 5*00 „ 



Oats, . 

 Maize, 



6-55 

 5-32 



}) 



1 lb. of meat. 



169-00 lbs. 

 7-00 „ 

 8-77 „ 

 11-50 

 9-33 



» 



55 



If we deduct interest on the value of the animals say on £20 at 

 5 per cent., and cost of attendance at sixpence per week, the 

 value of the different feeding stufi's, without reckoning the straw 

 consumed, and the manurial value of excrements would be as 

 follows : — 



If we add to the above feeding value the manurial value of the 

 excrements according to Lawes' scale, the combined values are as 

 follows : — 



From these results it will be seen that, unless something is 

 allowed for the increased value of manure, none of the feeding 



