REPORT OF MR. R. ROBERTSON 



2S3 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



STEER CALF EXPERIMENT. 



This experiment which was started in May, 1901, with ten calves, in two lots of 

 five each, to determine the comparative economy of feeding calves a ' full fattening 

 ration ' as contrasted with a ' limited growing ration,' was continued from November 

 30, 1904, with animals termed lot II., Ex. II., and lot I., Ex. III., finished and sold 

 April 30 and May 31, 1905. Ex. IV., lots I. and 11. were also continued. 



The following tables show the results : — 



Ex. II. — Lot II. — Calves of IVIay, 1902, Continued from December 1, 1904. 



Period. 



Dec. 1 to Dec. 31 



Dec. 31 to Jan. 30 



Jan. 30 to March 1. 



March 1 to March 31. 

 March 31 to April 30 

 April 30 to May 30 . . 



Cost of feed, one steer, 180 days . 



Daily Ration. 



Roots, 90 lbs. 

 Hay, 10 lbs . . 

 Meal, 3 lbs . . 



Roots, 60 lbs 

 Hay, 10 lbs . . . 

 Meal, 4 lbs . . 



Roots, 60 lbs . 

 Hay, 12 lbs . 

 Meal, 6 lbs . . 



Roots, 40 lbs 

 Hay, 12 lbs . . 

 Meal, 6 lbs . . 



Roots, 30 lbs 

 Hay, 15 lbs... 

 Meal, 8 lbs. . . 



Roots, 20 lbs 

 Hay, 15 lbs . . 

 Meal, 10 lbs 



Lot 2. 



Dec. 1 tD May 30 



Daily Cost. 



$ cts. 



09 

 04 



03* 



Cost for 

 Period. 



$ cts. 



2 70 

 1 20 



1 08 



Total Cost. 



Weight at 

 start. 



Lbs. 

 5,475 



Weight at 

 linish. 



Lbs. 

 6,800 



cts. 



4 93 



4 44 



5 40 



4 80 



5 58 



6 00 



31 20 



Gain. 



Lbs. 

 1,325 



Daily rate of gain per steer lbs. 1-47 



Cost of feed per day per steer cts. 17-73 



Cost of 1 lb. gain " 11-77 



Cost of feed for lot, 180 days $156 00 



