232 ANNUAL REPOliT OF THK Off. Doc. 



From the foregoing pages it will readily be seen that the differ- 

 ences in the results of the three methods of coufining fattening steers, 

 do not show that one method is markedly superior to another, so far 

 as gain in live weight from (he food consumed is concerned. The 

 results of the three methods, as shown by each experiment, are about 

 as uniform as would be expected had the three lots of them been 

 kept under practically uniform conditions. The slight differences 

 in gain are not sufficient to recommend one method over another. 

 While the steers were selected with great care, yet the differences 

 in the individuals of the three lots may account for the slight differ- 

 ence in gain. The fact that a different lot in each experiment made 

 the greatest gain from a given amount of food, tends to show that 

 the variation of the lots is probably due to the individuality of the 

 animals rather than to the dift'erence in the methods of confining and 

 feeding. 



It was observed in each experiment that those animals which had 

 a supp]}' of water before them all the time had a somewhat better 

 appetite and consumed their food with greater relish than did those 

 that were turned into the yard to water once each day. Any advant- 

 age that one method may show over another is chiefly due to the dif- 

 ference in the amount of labor of attendance. 



