186 AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE BULLETINS. 



Since the date of the last bulletin, the steers have been allowed to run in a 

 small field adjoining the experimental barn, in suitable weather; but have 

 been taken up regularly three times a day and fed a meal and hay ration. 

 When kept in stalls they have been watered regularly three times daily, and 

 when outside have had free access to the water tanks. During the early part 

 of the season they had a fair bite of grass ; but in the long continued drouth 

 later, they were entirely dependent on the food supplied in the stalls. No 

 account has been made of the pasture, as all had an equal chance in that 

 respect. 



In April and May the steers had a small daily ration of ensilage or roots, 

 from 5 to 8 pounds. The meal fed was made up of one-third oats and corn 

 ground half and half, one-third wheat bran and one-third oil meal, from 

 April to Aug. 24. Since that date the proportions have been 50 pounds 

 corn and oats, 10 pounds calf meal and 30 pounds wheat bran. 



Some of the animals have made greater gains than were looked for, others 

 have failed to reach the weights expected. 



It should be remembered that the animals were not selected on account of 

 any phenomenal development ; but the object was to get good average ani- 

 mals of the various breeds, feed and care for them well and exactly alike, 

 save in amount of food, and see how they would respond m growth and flesh. 

 Their answers are given in the following tables which I trust will prove of 

 interest to cattle men. 



I very greatly regret that we have had but one specimen of the Hereford 

 and Devon breeds; but circumstances beyond our control prevented our 

 securing them for this purpose. 



The State Board of Agriculture are in hearty sympathy with this line of 

 work, and we propose to secure another lot of calves during the coming sum- 

 mer for another test. Any parties having well bred and promising calves 

 that they would like to have fed in this way are requested to write me. 



While this single test with a limited number of animals does not positively 

 demonstrate the value of the breeds; it is still hoped that the work is in the 

 right direction and that a number of tests of this sort may lead to a more 

 perfect knowledge of the feeding quality and habits of growth of the differ- 

 ent breeds, which will be of real practical value to all breeders of cattle. 



It is our intention to continue the feeding of these steers for another year, 

 when the final results may be compared. Copies of this bulletin and No. 24 

 will be mailed to interested parties on application to the undersigned. 



SAM'L JOHNSON, 



Prof, of Agriculture. 

 Fakm Department, \ 



Agriculfiiral College, Nov 1, 1887, ) 



