BUREAU OF ANIMAL. INDUSTRY. 201 



cipally grades and crossbreds. Only about 2 per cent of the female 

 animals kept by purebred-sire users were scrubs. 



A development of the work which is proving popular is the dis- 

 tribution of a sign bearing the words, " Purebred Sires Exclusively 

 Used on This Farm." The sign is lithographed on cardboard in 

 several colors and resembles a metal tablet. 



MEAT YIELDS OF FOOD ANIMALS. 



In connection with the movement for better sires and improving 

 livestock, the bureau made a statistical study showing the meat yields 

 of various classes of animals in proportion to live weight. The 

 figures obtained bring out clearly the importance of good breeding. 

 The grades of livestock studied varied from the common grades of 

 market animals to animals slaughtered in the carcass competition of 

 the International Livestock Exposition. Kecords from a number of 

 (lovernment sources and from the packing industry were studied. 



The difference in dressing yield for various grades of cattle ranged 

 from 48 to 66 per cent, meaning that that proportion of the animal 

 was the dressed carcass. For sheep and lambs the dressing yield 

 varied from 42 per cent for common market ewes to 58.3 per cent for 

 International Show wethers. The figures for swine show dressing 

 percentages ranging from 75 to 85.3 per cent. The relatively high 

 figures for swine are due in part to the fact that the skin and head 

 commonly remain on the carcass. The International Show animals 

 in each case are chiefly purebreds, fed specially to produce an ideal 

 carcass. 



Tlie results are clear-cut evidence that the types of animals shown 

 and recognized as best by judges of livestock are much superior to 

 poorly bred stock from a meat standpoint. 



STUDY OF FEEDING PROBLEMS. 



As a means of determining and disseminating better methods of 

 livestock feeding, the bureau made a questionnaire study on current 

 livestock problems and how farmers are meeting them. The result 

 sliowed briefly that in the experience of nearly 500 livestock owners 

 the general economy of rations, the cost of grains, and more spe- 

 cifically the cost of protein, represent more than half of all feeding 

 difficulties. The question of balancing rations is next most impor- 

 tant. Livestock of improved breeding were reported in the great 

 majority of cases as making greater gains or producing more than 

 scrubs or connnon stock when fed in the same way. The average 

 superiority of improved stock in the use of feeds as shown by 

 financial returns was 39.6 per cent over common stock. Other re- 

 sults of the questionnaire deal with a variety of subjects. Silage 

 appears to be used on about one-half of the progressive farms where 

 livestock are raised. Self-feeders are commonly accepted as good 

 equipment in the feeding of hogs and poultry and to some extent 

 with other stock. Feeding dairy cows according to production re- 

 ceived widespread approval as a progressive feeding practice. The 

 balancing of rations, more liberal and regular feeding, and the use 

 of legumes are the chief means by which livestock owners are im- 

 proving feeding methods. The study showed also that the common 

 mistakes in feeding can be corrected by livestock owners themselves, 

 since most of the mistakes are details of care and management. 



