REPORT OF MR. JAMES MURRAY 



381 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Milk Record for 1910-11. 



Name. 



Buttercup 

 Margaret. 



Daisy 



Rose 



Snowball. 



Jane 



Poppy 



Hazel 



Blanche . . 



Breed. 



Grade 



n . . . . 

 Shorthorn 



M 

 Ayrshire.. 

 Shorthorn 



ti 



M 



Grade 



No. Lbs. Milk. 



6,176 

 5,601 

 5,109 

 4,831 

 4,488 

 3,830 

 3,878 

 3,648 

 3,047 



BEEF PRODUCTION. 



Fed Outside versus Inside. 



The system of outside feeding which was inaugurated here three years ago was 

 given another trial, hut the results were not altogether satisfactory. The conditions 

 under which the two lots of cattle were fed were described in last year's report, and 

 need not further be detailed here, but a few modifications were made which will be 

 (mentioned since they undoubtedly had some effect on the results. 



The first two years this experiment was in progress the cattle secured water from 

 a small stream in the feed lot. The winter of 1907-8 was mild so there was little diffi- 

 culty encountered in keeping the water open and the cattle had access to it at all times. 

 No other provision was made for a supply the following year, but as the winter was a 

 (severe one, the water supply was a constant source of trouble and required much atten- 

 tion, and even then was not satisfactory. The cattle frequently did not want water 

 when it was open, and then when they required it, the stream was frozen over. 



It was therefore decided to make other provision for a supply for another year, 

 and accordingly a well was sunk and a trough with a tank heater provided. The tank 

 heater is a round cast iron stove that sits in the trough and is bolted to the bottom 

 with wood screws. The air passes down a flue at one side, under the grate on which 

 the fire is placed and out a short chimney. Either coal or wood may be used for fuel. 

 The heater gave excellent satisfaction; a very small fire was sufficient to keep the 

 water from freezing and no effort was made to do more than this. Soft coal was used 

 as. fuel. 



Several changes were also made in the method of feeding. In previous years 

 oat straw was the principal roughage used. This was fed until March or April, after 

 which time hay was substituted. The grain ration during the first two seasons was 

 limited throughout the feeding period. About four pounds per head per day was fed 

 at the start. This quantity was gradually increased, about twelve pounds per day 

 being fed toward the close of the period. 



Last year the hay that was available was fed from the start when the grain ration 

 was light, and when the grain ration approached full feed oat straw was substituted. 

 The grain ration was also heavier than in previous years. Four pounds per day was 

 the ration December 1, and this was increased slightly every week so that by the end 

 of January it was 15 pounds per day. After this date the steers were given practically 

 ill the grain they would clean up — this averaged about 17 pounds per day and occasion- 

 ally was as much as 20 lbs. 



Those inside were given the same feed and care as in previous years. 



