102 Kepokt of the Department of Animal Husbandry of the 



relative efficiency and economy of the rations for hens. 



About 13 per ct. more food was eaten and 31 per ct. more eggs 

 were laid by Lot XVII baving the ration containing animal meal 

 than by Lot XVIII. Dnring the thirty-two weeks the average 

 egg production per hen was 110.1 eggs for Lot XVII and 84 

 eggs for Lot XVIII. Eggs from both lots averaged about the 

 same in weight. The amount of dry matter in the food for each 

 pound of eggs produced was 3.7 pounds for Lot XVII and 4.3 

 pounds for Lot XVIII. The cost of food for each pound of eggs 

 produced was the same for both lots, 4.1 cents, and the food cost 

 per dozen eggs was 5.9 cents. 



Lot XIX ate nearly 15 per ct. more food than Lot XX and 

 laid over 36 per ct. more eggs. During the twenty-eight weeks 

 the average egg production per hen was 72.7 for Lot XIX and 

 53.3 for Lot XX. The eggs from Lot XIX averaged somewhat 

 larger. The amount of dry matter in the food for each pound 

 of eggs produced was 4.3 pounds for Lot XIX and 5.5 pounds 

 for Lot XX. The cost of food for each pound of eggs produced 

 was 4.8 cents for Lot XIX and 5.2 cents for Lot XX. The food 

 cost per dozen eggs was 7.8 cents for Lot XIX and 7.9 cents for 

 Lot XX. With these two lots of older hens which had not been 

 under the effect of similar rations before the experiment began 

 there was no difference in the laying noticeable during the first 

 twelve weeks, but after the cumulative effect of the rations be- 

 gan to be felt the superiority of the one ration for sustained egg 

 production became more evident. A study of the tabulated data 

 will show this. 



With the two lots of younger birds, which had been since 

 hatching under the influence of somewhat similarily contrasted 

 rations, the difference in egg production was apparent from the 

 start. This difference was even more noticeable after several 

 months although the lot having the animal food had been laying 

 longer under the influence of the preliminary rations before this 

 experiment began. For short periods during part of the laying 



