48 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



In this experiment twenty grade cows and their calves were used. 

 The calves were sired bv purebred bulls — the first jear a Shorthorn, the 

 second a Hereford, and the last an Aberdeen Angus bull. Ten of the 

 cows were allowed to suckle their calves while the other ten were 

 milked and the calves raised on skim milk. Complete individual rec- 

 ords were kept with each of the twenty cows throughout the three years, 

 and with all three lots of calves. The calves were marketed in finished 

 condition at 18 months of age. A bulletin giving complete results of 

 the experiment will soon be published. Complete records on a large 

 number of skim milk fed calves to one year of age have been kept by 

 this division in conjunction with the division of dairy husbandry, and 

 a bulletin reporting 63 such records is now in the press. 



An educational live stock exhibit was made at the Michigan State 

 Fair at Detroit, and at the West Michigan State Fair at Grand Rapids. 

 Calves from scrub cows, and sired by purebred bulls, were shown to 

 illustrate the result of one cross of good blood on common stock. Calves 

 from the baby beef experiment were shown giving the cost of raising by 

 the two methods, suckling as compared to skim milk feeding, and the 

 three herd bulls were shown as an illustration of breed types in Short- 

 horn, Hereford and Aberdeen Angus. 



HORSES. 



The department has seven purebred Percherons — four mares, 2 fillies 

 and a horse colt — three purebred Clydesdales, 2 mares and a mare colt 

 in addition to four teams of grades. 



The second feeding trial in the experiment on Economical Wintering 

 of Farm Horses, was carried through this year, continuing the work 

 outlined in the preliminary report. " The teams were divided, one horse 

 being fed a regular ration of oats and timothy hay, and the other a 

 cheaper ration made up of ear corn, bran, oil cake and oats, with oat 

 straw, corn stover and hay for roughage. The results showed 

 a reduction of 10 to 12 cents per head daily in the cost of wintering 

 and at the same time the horses showed as good condition as those fed 

 the more expensive ration. 



SHEEP. 



There are 328 sheep in the flock, of which there are 32 Rambouillets, 

 12 Southdowns, 20 Dorsets, 32 Shropshires, 32 Hampshires, 30 Oxfords, 

 20 Cotswolds, and 150 Grades. 



The third year of the experiment in the use of succulence vs. dry feed- 

 ing for ewes and lambs was completed, and the results will soon be 

 published. In this exjjeriment a flock of 50 western CAves has been fed, 

 25 on a dry ration and 25 on a ration containing succulence, to de- 

 termine the efl'ect upon the lambs as to condition at birth, growth and 

 rapidity of gain and cost, and the effect upon the ewes as to condition, 

 prolificacy and fleece. Results so far as worked out indicate that while 

 the lot fed the succulent ration were superior in some ways there was 

 not enough difference to make up for the additional cost. 



The work of up-grading from common ewes by using a purebred sire 

 was continued. An imported Hampshire ram was purchased and a 

 Southdown ram was secured from New York State. 



