BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 97 



that are of the right type and also heavy milkers. So far. 8 daiifrh- 

 ters of the original cows have been officially entered in the experi- 

 ment. Steer calves out of these cows have been shown at the Inter- 

 national I-iivestock P^xposition at Chicago and at other sliow<. where 

 they have been consistent winners. One was first-prize junior year- 

 ling steer at the 1919 International. The experiment has not pro- 

 gressed far enough to make any deductions. 



In July. 1919. experiments in producing purebred Ijcef rattle 

 were begun in cooperation with the Arkansas Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station at the Jonesboro agricultural school. Herds of pure- 

 bred Shorthorn, Hereford, and Aberdeen Angus cows with desirable 

 herd bulls Avere purchased. Rations and methods of wintering, sum- 

 mer grazing, growing beef calves, and preparation for show or sale 

 are being studied in connection with the production of purebred beef 

 cattle. 



Progress was made in equipping and stocking the newly established 

 experiment station at McXeill, ]\Iiss., where experimental work Avith 

 beef cattle is being carried on in cooperation with the State experi- 

 ment station. A breeding herd of 50 grade and native cows was pur- 

 chased for experiments in grading up by the use of a purebred bull. 

 Data obtained on the carrying capacity of carpet-grass pasture and 

 the gains made by cattle indicate the high value of this grass. Forty 

 acres of carpet-grass pasture on very poor land carried 28 head of 

 cattle and 60 head of sheep over a i^eriod of nine months. ^lature 

 breeding cows showed a gain of 100 pounds per head during this 

 period. The propagation of carpet-grass pastures is being under- 

 taken as a major project at this station. Cows which were " roughed " 

 through the winter with a small allowance of cottonseed meal in ad- 

 dition to grazing, according to the common method of that section, 

 showed a heav}'^ loss in weight and were in poor condition to suckle 

 calves in the spring. 



At the McXeill station three lots of steers were fattened for market 

 on the following ration: (1) Cottonseed meal and silage, {2) dry 

 velvet beans in the pod and silage, (3) soaked velvet beans in the 

 pod and silage. The average daily gains were, respectively, 2.1, 2.8, 

 and 2.4 pounds. In the face of adverse market conditions all lots 

 returned good profits. Velvet beans at the rate of 2 pounds for each 

 pound of cottonseed meal reduced the silage consumed by 10 pounds 

 a day and made cheaper and more rapid gains and a better finish. 

 This experiment confirms previous results as to the value of velvet 

 beans as a cattle feed. 



BEEF-CATTr.E EXTEXSION. 



Beef-cattle extension work was carried on in cooperation with tlie 

 State agricultural colleges and the county agents. Th;' work of the 

 beef-cattle extension specialists has been especially effective during 

 the last few years in stimulating the industry to meet the demand 

 for greater production under adverse conditions and has been the 

 Means of unifying the best methods throughout the country. During 

 the last year the specialists gave 158 demonstrations in feeding, herd 

 management, pasture management, dehorning, silo construction, 

 judging cattle, 'fitting them for sale. etc. They also coojierated in 

 the "Better Sires" campaign to eliminate the scrul) and other unde- 



