278 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



1-2 EDWARD VII., A. 1902 



In estimating the cost of feeding steers and calves, tlie following prices were 

 charged, being the current Ottawa market values of the different materials during the 

 season 1900-01 :— 



Per ton. 



Roots, 6 cents per bushel, or $ 2.00 



Ensilage 2.00 



Clover hay G.00 



Straw 3.00 



Corn f . . . . 18.00 



Oats, pease, or barky ' . . . . 19.00 



Bran 15.00 



Shorts 16.00 



Oil meal 32.00 



Gluten meal 16.00 



Skim milk, 15 cents per cwt 3.00 



Calf meal, Blatchford's 90.00 



During the last two years no experiments have been conducted to gain any further 

 information as to the comparative value of different feeds for the production of beef. 

 The aim in feeding has been to apply information already gained in this line, both 

 here and elsewhere, and investigation has been confined, as indicated above, to the de- 

 termination of the influence of age and manner of stabling in economy of beef pro- 

 duction. 



To eliminate as far as possible the influence of individual character in determin- 

 ing the results, groups of nine animals have been used in most cases. 



The feeds fed have been mangels, turnips, carrots, ensilage, clover hay, and straw 

 for roughage ; while corn, oats, barley, bran, gluten meal, and oil meal have made 

 up the concentrated or meal ration. 



When taken off grass, the steers are fed a roughage ration consisting of turnips, 

 ensilage and clover hay. The feeds are fed in the proportion of, 30 roots, 15 ensilage, 

 5 hay. The hay is fed long, the roots pulped and mixed with ensilage. The amount 

 fed is measured by the appetite of the animals, care being taken to keep them keen on 

 their feed. As long as good daily gains in weight are secured this ration is continued. 

 As soon as any appreciable lessening in daily rate of increase is observed, a small addi- 

 tion of meal is made to the roughage ration. This change or addition it is found must 

 be made about 5 weeks after stabling. Steers started off in this way do not make 

 phenomenal gains at any time, but are never likely to go ' off feed.' Neither are they 

 likely ever to make gains enough in the day to pay for their keep, save during short 

 intervals, but they are quite likely to keep near the paying point continuously, and 

 thus leave a chance of a profit. 



PROFITS IX STEERS. 



To say there arc great opportunities for making money by feeding steers would 

 be misleading. To condemn the production of beef as a losing business in eastern 

 Canada would be unwise. The farmer with much rough feed and a scarcity of labour 

 will find in well-bred steers a good market for his produce, roughage and grain, at 

 current prices. In addition, the rich manure so plentifully produced is an invaluable 

 and indispensable and an imperative reqiiirement of successful farming in Canada. 



The personal factor enters so strongly into the possibility of a profit beyond this 

 that it is impossible to predict the result. The careful buyer and good seller makes a 

 profit where the less business-like man would incur a loss. The studious feeder finds 

 what form of concentrate is the cheapest according to its properties, and uses it ; the 

 careless man uses the handiest or what on the face looks cheapest, while it really may 



