BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 93 



Good progress has been made in the experiments in breeding milch 

 goats. Forty-two does are being milked throughout their lactation 

 periods, and their milk yields show that the offspring of native 

 American does and pure-bred Saanen and Toggenburg males are 

 quite satisfactory as milk producers. Arrangements are being made 

 with suitable institutions to make thorough tests of the reputed value 

 of goat's milk for the feeding of infants and invalids. The bureau 

 now has thirty-five 2 and 3 year old half-bred does, 26 yearlings, and 

 24 kids, the latter group containing a number having three-quarters 

 Saanen blood. 



NEW ENGLAND SHEEP BEEEDING. 



The Southdown flock at the Morgan horse farm, Middlebury, Vt., 

 now numbers 150 head. Each year a number of rams and ewes are 

 being sold to New England farmers, and their appraisal of the 

 stock is reflected in higher prices offered at the annual sales. 



Internal parasites still affect the flock, as is likely to be the case 

 with any flock after a few years' stay upon the same land, but only 

 one or two lambs have been lost from this cause, and the others have 

 all made excellent growth. The methods of prevention call for the 

 same practices as are necessary to economical production. These 

 practices, using forages and rotation of pastures, have been followed 

 during the past two seasons. 



BELTSVILLE FARM. 



The work at the experimental farm during the year has been con- 

 tinued under the same plans as formerly, the farm being the field 

 laboratory for the division for experimental purposes. The farm is 

 being systematically drained, as it has been found that without 

 such tile drainage considerable time is lost every year on account of 

 water standing on the land. 



A small house for housing breeding pens has been completed at the 

 poultry plant, and a building has been erected at the hog plant for 

 slaughtering and curing meats. 



On the night of March 31 the sheep barn was totally destroyed by 

 fire from an unknown cause. A high wind was blowing at the time, 

 and nothing could be done to save the structure. One hundred and 

 thirty-nine sheep were lost in the fire. 



ANIMAL NUTRITION. 



The investigations in animal nutrition, in cooperation with the 

 Pennsylvania State College, which have been in progress since 1899 

 and have consisted in studying the nutrition of beef cattle, have 

 been changed in character so as to devote the study in the future to 

 the metabolism of milk production. As investigations on the latter 

 subject are properly a function of the Dairy Division of the bureau, 

 the work has been transferred to that division, and the phases per- 

 taining especially to beef production have been terminated. 



