REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURIST 283 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



ber to feed loose together, but a study of the individuals composing the different lots 

 seemed to show that the character of the separate steers, as goodj. or bad feeders, was 

 an important factor in determining the final standing. 



The fact of a steer being a ' good feeder,' or a ' bad feeder,' frequently affects 

 very seriously the accuracy of the results. The buyer can in selecting feeders usually 

 reject such as arc likely to be ' bad doers,' or ' bad feeders.' It is, however, not always 

 possible to single out the prospective, bad feeder, and rather poor doers are not always 

 possible of detection. The difficulty is further increased when it comes to the question 

 of selecting a large number of steers which shall make equal gains under similar 

 treatment. 



When a large number of animals is used in each lot, the individuality of the 

 animals is in a measure overcome, and the larger the number, the less allowance is 

 necessary for extra good or rather poor animals. Therefore, where differences in the 

 number of animals fed together are the main feature of the experiment, it is quite 

 evident that individual quality must be of more importance in the small lots than in 

 the large. 



Considering the above, the experiment may not be of any great value, but the 

 subtended results are given for what they are worth : — 



Dehorned, Loose (3-ycar olds.) 



Number of steers in lot 9 



First weight, gross 10,583 lbs. 



First weight, average 1,175 " 



Finished weight, gross 13,845 " 



Finished weight, average 1,538 " 



Total gain in 203 days 3,262 " 



Average gain per steer 363 " 



Daily gain for lot of 9 steers 16 '07 " 



Daily average per steer 1 -7S " 



Gross cost of feed $213 74 



Cost of 100 pounds gain , 6 55 



Cost of steers, 10,054 lbs. at $4.25 per cwt 427 29 



Total cost to produce beef, $427.29+$213.74 641 03 



Sold, 13,153 lbs. at $5,121 per cwt 674 09 



Profit on lot 33 06 



Net profit per steer 3 67 



Average cost price per steer 47 47 



Average selling price per steer 74 90 



Average increase in value 27 43 



Average cost of feed per steer 23 75 



Dehorned, Loose (3-year olds.) 



Number of steers in lot 6 



First weight, gross 6.593 lbs. 



First weight, average 1.099 " 



Finished weight, gross 8,770 " 



Finished weight, average 1.461 " 



Total gain in 203 days 2,177 " 



Average gain per steer 363 " 



Daily gain for lot of 6 stefcrs 10 *72 " 



Daily gain per steer 1 :79 " 



