REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR AND ACTING AGRICULTURIST. 75 



EXPERIMENTAL FARM, INDIAN HEAD, N.W.T. 



The herd at this farm consisted of 51 animals, all of which were subjected to th© 

 tuberculine test by Inspector Burnett, V.S., of the Mounted Police, early in December, 

 and only two reacted. In one case a Durham cow, Prairie Wildflower, six years old, 

 the highest reaction was 2|^ degrees above the highest normal ; in the other, a Holstein cow, 

 Abi 2nd of Assa., five years old, the reaction was greater, the temperature reaching 3^ 

 degrees above the highest normal. Both these animals were tested in 1894 and did not 

 then react. On examination after killing the disease was found in the Durham cow in 

 several of the organs, and in the Holstein the lungs were both slightly affected. 

 Evidence of the disease was also said to have been detected in connection with the heart. 



EXPERIMENTAL FARM, AGASSIZ, B.O. 



At this farm the herd numbered 19 animals. These were all tested with tubercu- 

 line by Dr. J. Gibbins, of Vancouver, on December 14 and 15, and no reaction occurred 

 in any case, showing that no tuberculous disease existed there. 



EXPERIMENTS IN THE FEEDING OF STEERS, 1896-97. 



During the past season three groups of steers, four animals in each group were fed 

 for 16 weeks, with the object of ascertaining how far it is economical for farmers to 

 withhold grain during the first part of the feeding period. All were fed on the same 

 bulky fodder mixture, consisting of 50 lbs. of Indian corn ensilage, 25 pounds of roots, 5 

 pounds of cut hay and 5 pounds of cut straw. This ration was also used at the outset, 

 for the preparatory feeding from 15th November to 15th December, 1897. No meal 

 was given during this period, and the food consumed was not weighed. Before the 

 feeding tests began the twelve steers were divided into three very even groups. 



The meal which was used in these experiments was made of equal parts by weight 

 of pease, barley, oats and bran, and in estimating the cost of the rations, this mixture 

 has been valued at the uniform rate of one cent per pound. 



In estimating the cost of the rations the ingredients composing the bulky fodder 

 portion have been valued at the following prices : — Corn ensilage at $2 per ton, roots 

 at $2 per ton, hay at $8 per ton and straw at $4 per ton. The value of these ingredients 

 will vary in different localities, but they have been fixed at about the cost of production 

 at Ottawa and will afford a basis for comparison in all parts of the Dominion. 



The feeding period was divided into three portions, one of 8 weeks and two 

 following of 4 weeks each. 



To group No. 1 no meal was given for the first eight weeks, 2 pounds of meal were 

 given to each animal per day for the next four weeks, and 6 pounds to each animal per 

 day for the last period of four weeks. 



To group No. 2 two pounds of meal were given to each animal per day for 

 the first period of eight weeks, four pounds to each per day for the next four weeks, and 

 six pounds each per day for the last period of four weeks. 



To group No. 3 four pounds of meal were given to each steer per day for the first 

 period of eight weeks, and six pounds to each per day for the two remaining periods of 

 four weeks each. 



These rations are not as rich in digestible protein (flesh forming material) as are 

 usually recommended in standard rations. They have a wider nutritive ratio that is a 

 larger proportion of digestible carbohydrates (starch, sugar, gum, (fee.,) and fat to the 

 protein than the standard rations usually contain. The standard feeding rations for 



