No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 607 



figures: they don't mean that a two or three months' old calf must 

 have just exactly four pounds of protein per thousand pounds of 

 live weight but that it should be somewhere near that. Then as the 

 animal grows older, the amount of protein required diminishes 

 somewhat in proportion to these figures. 1 emphasize that, be- 

 cause it is unfortunate to get the idea that it must be followed 

 exactly. It is not a scientific deduction, but the expression of 

 the results of practical experiment. It is a general guide, and not 

 something that must be followed to the very letter. But I don't 

 want you, either, to go away with the idea that it is of no par- 

 ticular importance. It is of the very greatest importance that we 

 supply the proper amount of protein, as I will show you in a few 

 minutes. 



Now, since it is of such vital importance that the animal shall 

 have a reasonably liberal supply of protein, where shall we get it? 

 The ordinary feeding stuffs of the farm, particularly corn and corn 

 fodder, timothy hay and straw are deficient in protein. For mature 

 animals they probably contain enough, but for growing animals we 

 find we cannot figure out a ration in this way that will supply enough 

 protein. We must therefore, get some kind of material richer in 

 protein to go with the material that grows on the farm. 



Now, there are two ways in which we can supply this material; 

 one is to go out into the market and buy feeds rich in protein, 

 like oil-meal, or brewers' grains. This is a method which has been 

 practiced to" considerable extent, and which has been recommended 

 very strongly, especially x)erhaps more by those who, like myself, 

 have been in the habit of looking at the matter from a scientific 

 viewpoint, rather than a practical one. The other is, to try to 

 raise it in some way on the farm; that is, to try to get the protein 

 out of our own crops, instead of depending on the market. Now, 

 either is a good waj'^, and its practibility in any particular case 

 depends on the conditions. Under some conditions it may be 

 cheaper to buy your protein than to raise it, and under others, 

 cheaper to raise it than to buy it. Of course, in raising the nitro- 

 genous crops like soy beans or cow peas, it is necessary to take into 

 consideration the eft'ect they will have in improving the soil, but 

 it is after all a question of relative cost, into which I will not 

 enter at this time. Instead, I want to present a few figures from 

 actual experiment to show that it is profitable, in fattening cattle 

 for the market as they are usually fattened in this country, to supply 

 more protein in the ration than is usually given and that this may 

 be done in either of the two way? I have mentioned. 



The Illinois Station reports in their Bulletin No. 83 their results 

 in fattening carload lots of steers. Lot 1 was given corn, timothy 

 hay and corn stalks — an ordinary feed, rather poor protein. They 

 gained 1.86 pounds a day. Lot 2 was fed corn with clover hay in 

 place of timothy, and that lot gained 2^ pounds a day, on the aver- 

 age. Lot 3 was fed corn, gluten-meal, timothy and stover and 

 gained 2} pounds a day, instead of 2i, for every hundred pounds 

 of grain fed. Lot 1, getting corn, timothy and corn-stalks gained 

 ten pounds. Of the other two lots, the second one with the corn 

 and clover hay, gained thirteen pounds for every hundred pounds 

 of grain, and the third lot, on the gluten feed, gained 13.4 pounds 

 for every hundred pounds of grain. The first lot gained 7,6 pounds, 



