428 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



64 VICTORIA, A. 1901 

 CATTLE. 



The herd on the farm at present consists of: — One pure bred Shorthorn bull and 

 •eleven females ; one pure bred Ayrshire bull ; one pure bred Guernsey bull ; four grade 

 Ayrshires ; two grade Holsteins ; one grade Polled Angus, and eleven grade Durhams; 

 in addition to which, sixteen grade steers have been purchased for use in a dehorning 

 test, to be carried on during the winter. 



Since last report the 3-year old Holstein bull * Earl of Edgeley 2nd ' has been sold, 

 the yearling Durham * General Kitchener ' sent to the experimental farm at Agassiz, 

 British Columbia, and the yearling Durham * Lord Roberts ' sold for breeding pur- 

 poses. 



TEST OF DEHORNING STEERS. 



During the winter of 1899 and 1900, fifteen 3-year old grade steers were obtained 

 from Messrs. Gordon & Ironside, of Winnipeg, Man., for use in a test of the practic- 

 ability of dehorning. 



On November 29, after a preparatory feeding of twenty days, a 16-weeks test was 

 •commenced to determine : — 1st. What loss, if any, is occasioned by the process of 

 dehorning, and 2nd. If feeding loose in a box stall, rendered possible by dehorning, 

 has any advantage over stall-feeding. 



On the above date, the fifteen animals were divided into three lots of approxi- 

 mately equal weight : — 



Lot No. 1. — Five steers, left in a natural state and tied up. 



Lot No. 2. — Five steers, dehorned (by sawing oft' horns with a small hand-saw) 



and tied up, and 

 Lot No. 3. — Five steers, dehorned (by the same method as above) and put in a 



loose box. 

 The three lots received a uniform ration throughout the test, which consisted of : — 



During first four weeks. Each animal per day — 



Pounds. 



Ensilage 16 



Straw (barley and oat) 1,5 



Meal 6 



During second four week's. Each animal per day — 



Pounds. 



Ensilage 16 



Straw (barley and oat) 15 



Meal G 



During thii-d four weeks. Each animal per day — 



Pounds. 



Ensilage 16 



Straw (barley and oat) 15 



Hay 8 



Meal 6 



During foui-lh four weeks. Each animal per day — 



Pounds. 



Ensilage 1 G 



Straw (barley and oat) ir> 



Hay 10 



^leal ] 



