REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURIST 79 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



BABY BEEF. 



Some further work has been done in the production of beef from steers ready for 

 the block at an early age. 



Below follow reports upon two lots dropped in 1907. 



STEER CALF EXPERIMENTS. 



Limited Orowing Ration Lot. 



Lot 1, Droppal May, 1907. 



Number of steers in lot 5 



First weight, gross, March 31, 1908 lbs. 2,520 



First weight, average. . . . ' " 504 



Finished weight, gross " 4,935 



Finished weight, average " 987 



Total gain in 393 days " 2,415 



Average gain per steer " 483 



Daily gain per steer *' 1-23 



Daily gain per lot 5 steers " 6 -15 



Gross cost of feed $132 92 



Cost of 100 lbs. gain 5 50 



Cost of steers: Value March 31, 1908 100 00 



Total cost to produce beef 232 92 



Sold 4,935 lbs. at $4.75 per 100 lbs., less 5 per cent. ... 222 72 



Loss on lot 10 20 



Loss per steer 2 04 



Average valuation per steer 20 00 



Average selling price per steer ; 44 54 



Average increase in value 24 54 



Average cost of feed for steer 26 58 



Amount of meal eaten by 5 steers lbs. 4,585 



Amount of ensilage and roots •' 41,915 



Am-ount of hay " 3,535 



Full fattening ration lot. 



Lot 2— Dropped May, 1907. 



Number of steers in lot 6 



First weight, gross, April 1, 1908 lbs. 3,560 



First weight, average " 593 -3 



Finished weight, gross, Jan. 16, 1909 " 6,370 



Finished weight, average " 1,061*7 



Total gain in 290 days " 2,810 



Average gain per steer •■ 468*3 



Daily gain per steer " 1*61 



Da^-iy gain per lot 6 steers '• 9*66 



Gross cost of feed $ 169 25 



Cost of 100 pounds gain 6 02 , 



Cost of steers: cost up to March 31, 1908 140 39 



Total cost to produce beef 309 64 



Sold 6,370 pounds at $5.35 per 100 pounds 340 80 



Profit 31 16 



Net profit per steer 5 19 



Average value, March 31, 1908 23 40 



