REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURIST 75 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



DISPOSITION OF NATURAL INCREASE. 



The herds have been gradually enlarged to their present dimensions by keeping 

 the best cow calves of each breed. The bull calves from the best cows are sold to 

 farmers or farmers' clubs for breeding purposes. 



WHY CATTLE ARE KEPT. 



The reasons for keeping cattle on the Central Experimental Farm are several 

 and important. 



In the first place, farming in eastern Canada without live stock would be 

 exceedingly difficult, and is, in fact, practically impossible. 



Further, it is desired to show as great a revenue as possible from the ' farm ' 

 part of the Experimental Farm. As a means to this end, dairy cattle may be said 

 to be indispensable in eastern Canada. 



Again, it is necessary to have the Experimental Farm as interesting and instruc- 

 tive as ijossible. Live stock of various classes will certainly do more than anything 

 else to add interest to the farm, for either the casual visitor or the owner. 



It is probable, however, that the great need for experimental work in breeding, 

 feeding and caring for the various classes of live stock, was the most important reason 

 advanced for the upbuilding and maintaining of considerable herds of cattle here. 



PAST EXPERIMENTAL WORK. 



The lines of experimental work that have been carried on with dairy cattle up to 

 date have been quite varied and important. A few might be enumerated as follows : — 



(1) Experiments to determine the number of dairy cattle that might be carried to 

 the acre of arable land on the average Canadian farm. 



(2) Experiments in methods of feeding and caring for dairy cows. 



(3) Experiments in ventilation of dairy barns. 



(4) Experiments with various feeds, both roughage and concentrate, to determine 

 their values as feeds for dairy cows. 



(5) Experiments in milking, methods and hours of operation. 



(6) Experiments to determine cost of production of milk and butter. 



(7) Experiments in breeding pure-breds and grades. 



(8) Comparative study of breeds as to economy of production, hardiness and 

 fitness for Canadian conditions. 



(9) The ' dual purpose ' cow. • 



FUTURE EXPERBIENTAL WORK. 



The work in the future will necessarily be along somewhat similar lines. This, 

 however, will not in any way detract from its value, but rather render it more vah.i-'l'le 

 since it is only by repeated experiments that we may hope to gain any really valuable 

 information about anything in agriculture. 



BEEF PEODUCTION. 



Between 40 and 50 steers of various ages were fed for shorter or longer periods 

 during the year. Some of the lines of experimental work followed were : — 



1. Short-keep steers, cost of beef production therewith. 



2. Value of some feeds for beef production. 



3. Baby beef. 



In most cases the common feeds were used, the most largely utilized being gluten 

 meal, oil-cake meal, wheat-bran and corn. For roughage, clover hay, corn ensilage, 

 roots (mangels and turnips) and some straw were as usual the regular feeds. 



