New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 63 



ing Lot B for four weeks on the animal meal ration after the con- 

 trasted feeding was finished. The growth made by this lot was 

 then rapid and the gain in weight nearly as great as that which 

 had been made by Lot A two months earlier when the ayerage size 

 was about the same as that of the older birds from Lot B during 

 this later period. The disadvantage of living on the inferior 

 ration was, however, never entirely overcome, and the birds failed 

 to reach the size ultimately attained by the birds having from the 

 start the animal meal ration. 



The average weight of 1 lb. was reached by Lot A three weeks 

 sooner than by Lot B, the average weight of 2 lbs. over five weeks 

 sooner and the average weight of 3 lbs. over eight weeks sooner. 

 At seven weeks of age the average weight for Lot A was over 3 

 lbs. and for Lot B less than 1 lb. At nine weeks of age the 

 average weight for Lot A was about 4.5 lbs. and for J^ot B about 

 1.5. At eleven weeks of age the average weight for Lot A was 5 

 lbs. and for Lot B it was 2 lbs. 



IN CONCLUSION. 



The rations in which from 40 to 50 per cent of the protein was 

 supplied by animal food gave in every trial more economical re- 

 sults than the contrasted rations in which most of the protein came 

 from vegetable sources. 



The chief advantage of the one ration over the other was in the 

 much more rapid growth induced by it, although the cost for each 

 pound gain in weight was also in its favor. The inefficiency of 

 the one ration was probably in part due to its inferior palatability. 

 This was not very noticeable with the chicks or cockerels, but it 

 was quite apparent with the ducklings, especially at the start when 

 slight modifications in the ration were continually made. 



The results of this feeding experiment do not alone warrant 

 final conclusions as to the necessity for animal food. But con- 

 sidering with them the results of other feeding experiments not 

 yet reported, which all point in the same direction, there appears 

 justification for the belief that the superiority of the one ration 

 was due to the presence in it of the animal food.. 



