REPORT OF TDE AGRICULTURIST 67 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



anotlier way, he is likely to be able to sell a steer that has cost him to start with 

 say, $40, and that has cost for feed $20 more during the feeding period, not for $60 

 which would recoup him, but for $70 or possibly for even $80, leaving him a profit of 

 from $10 to $20 on his outlay of money and feed. Such margins of profit do not al- 

 ways materialize, but one other advantage the farmer is certain to reap. Since a large 

 amount of food passes through the steer in the fatting process and since the increase 

 in live weight is relatively small and of a character to remove very little material of 

 any fertilizing value from this food it is all available for use on the land, and in addi- 

 tion a large amount of humus forming material of the very best kind is at the farmer's 

 disposal. Farms where beef has been produced for years and the manure utilized are in- 

 variably productive. In addition it must be remembered that the farmer by feeding 

 beef makes for himself a home market for all the forage of every description that he 

 can raise on the farm, so even did he find himself at the end of the year with scarcely 

 more than market prices or even less for feed given his steers he might still console 

 himself with the fact that it had practically all gone back on his land and he would be 

 sure to reap the advantage later. 



FEEDIXa STEERS. 



The methods followed in feeding, steers have a great deal to do with the success 

 of the operations. The feeds used are of course also of very great im.portancc. 



The economical results obtained here are, we consider, due to the system followed. 

 Briefly outlined, that system is as follows : — 



For from two to four weeks steers receive no meal in addition to the roughnge 

 ration. The roughage ration fed is of a laxative character^ viz. : roots, ensilage and 

 clover hay. Roots usually constitute the major part of the succulent portion of the 

 ration at this time, the first 3 or 4 weeks after stabling. 



At the end of from two to four weeks meal is fed. The quantity given at first is 

 very small, about 1 pound per steer per day. 



This is gradually increased till, if the feeding period last say six months, the 

 steers are usually receiving from 10 to 11 pounds per day during the last 10 days or 

 fortnight. 



The meal fed always contains a considerable proportion of bran. In 1905-6 oil 

 meal and bran were fed. In 1906-7 gluten meal and bran made up the meal ration. 

 The proportion was gluten 400 to bran 100. 



The roughage ration was prepared as follows : — 300 pounds ensilage was spread 

 on the feed floor, over this was spread 100 pounds roots with about 40 pounds cut hay 

 or straw. This was repeated layer after layer until enough for two days was corded up 

 ready to feed. 



The meal is scattered on the roughage in the trough after it is before the cattle. 

 The hay is fed when the succulent portion of the feed with the meal mixed therein, 

 has been practically all eaten. 



The cattle are fed in this way night and morning, no portion being fed at noon. 



SCOPE OP REPORT. 



On account of the change In the date of beginning the fiscal year, it is necessary 

 i'n this report to summarize the work of two seasons so far as beef production is con- 

 cerned. The report on this line of work is accordingly divided into two parts, viz. : — 

 Experiments in 1905-6, and experiments in 1906-7. 



EXPERIMENTS IN 1905-6. 



WINTEB FEEDINa. 



The lines of experiment followed in the winter of 1905-6 were as follows: — 

 A. A study of the feeding qualities of well bred as compared with fairly well 

 bred and poorly bred steers. This might be expressed ditferently, thus: — Had the 

 farmer better feed, superior, good or inferior cattle so far as profits are concerned! 

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