BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 81 



Summer grazing of steers.— At Lewisbiirg and Springdale steers 

 were grazed on pasture to determine what effect the different methods 

 of wintering had on gains from grass the following summer. The 

 steers at each station had the run of about 3 acres per hetid. At 

 Springdale the steers that had been fed a corn-silage and corn-stover 

 ration made the largest gains on pasture. However, as the winter- 

 grazed steers came through the winter in good condition and made 

 satisfactory summer gains on pasture, the winter-grazing method 

 must necessarily be considered satisfactory under certain conditions. 



At Lewisburg the calves which had received a mixed-grain ration 

 in addition to mixed hay gained slightly more during the summer 

 than did the other lots, although the use of an expensive winter 

 ration was not economical. 



Cattle breeding. — The 20-year breeding experiment in cooperation 

 with the Kansas agricultural experiment station has been in progress 

 at Manhattan since September 1, 1915. The principal objects are to 

 determine whether the milking tendency in beef cattle is transmitted 

 mainly by the dams through the male line of descent, and to what 

 extent this milk-giving function of the dam influences the beef 

 character of the progen}^ The experiment has not progressed far 

 enough to make any deductions. Several steers and bull calves have 

 shown unusual merit and become prize winners of considerable im- 

 portance. 



Wintering breeding cows. — At Lewisburg, W. Va., and Canton, 

 Miss., the experiments in wintering beef breeding cows were con- 

 tinued. At Lewisburg the rations were (1) corn silage, mixed hay, 

 and wheat straAv, (2) corn silage, cottonseed meal, and wheat straw, 

 (3) corn silage, soy-bean hay, and wheat straw. There was no 

 marked difference in the condition of the coavs at the end of the 

 winter period. The main difference was in the relative costs of the 

 rations. The second ration was found to be the most economical 

 and satisfactory. 



At Canton 20 grade cows were given a ration of oat straw and 

 cottonseed cake, while 20 others were grazed on velvet-bean pasture 

 with the addition of cottonseed cake after February 16. As less 

 labor was necessary to care for the winter-grazed cattle, this method 

 of wintering is considered economical and satisfactory. 



New stations. — Additional investigations were begun at Jones- 

 boro, Ark., in cooperation with the Jonesboro agricultural school 

 and the Arkansas experiment station at Fayetteville. Thirty pure- 

 bred cows, 10 each of Shorthorn, Hereford, and Aberdeen-Angus, 

 were purchased during the spring of 1919. Actual experimental 

 work did not commence until July 1, 1919. 



The experimental work at Collins, Miss., was discontinued at the 

 end of the fiscal year 1918, and a new station was established at 

 McNeil experiment station, Miss.," in cooperation with the State ex- 

 periment station. Work begun at Collins will be continued at the 

 new station. 



Arrangements have been made for cooperation Avith a land and 

 timber company in studying the raising of cattle in Palm Beach 

 County, ria., under southern ranching conditions. 



