BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 207 



Red, Buff Orpington, and Single-comb Wliite Leghorn. Chicks 

 hatched from these eggs are now being raised and will form the foun- 

 dation stock for the new farm. As a result of the moving and the 

 disposal of the mature stock, no feeding or breeding experiments were 

 carried on during the year. 



The investigation of conditions surrounding the handling and 

 marketing of eggs in the Middle West has been continued, mainly in 

 the State of Kansas, and has been very successful. This investigation 

 embraces the study of conditions from the farm to the packing house, 

 experimental work to determine the causes of loss and deterioration, 

 and the encouragement of the use of the "loss-off" system of buying 

 eggs. As a result of the efforts of the bureau in Kansas in cooperation 

 with the State authorities, neighboring States are becoming in cr- 

 ested in the movement for better eggs. 



A careful study has been made of the commercial feeding or fatten- 

 ing of poultry, particularly mUk fattening, in this same area. Detailed 

 figures of the gain, cost of gain, amount of grain per pound gain, etc., 

 have been obtained for over 30,000 birds. The figures, therefore, are 

 believed to be very reliable. 



Some attention has been given to the encouragement of marketing 

 eggs through the creameries. Several creameries are now handling 

 the eggs produced on the farms of their patrons, with good success. 

 Other creameries have indicated their intention of starting such a 

 system of handling eggs in the near future 



ANIMAL NUTRITION INVESTIGATIONS. 



During the fiscal year the work in animal nutrition in cooperation 

 with the Pennsylvania State College has consisted largely in a thorough 

 revision and testing of the respiration calorimeter, together with the 

 addition of certain improvements designed to secure more detailed 

 and accurate results. These improvements include apphances for the 

 determination of the excretion of carbon dioxid and water in the 

 standing and lying positions, respectively, an additional electrical 

 furnace for the determination of methane, and repairs to the refriger- 

 ating machine. Additional laboratory equipment has also been pro- 

 cured, which will conduce to the rapidity and economy of the work. 



During the fiscal year 1911-12 it is planned to make a comparative 

 study of the effects of standing and lying upon heat production and 

 upon the excretion of carbon dioxide, and also to continue the deter- 

 minations of the energy values of feeding stuffs. 



BEEF PRODUCTION INVESTIGATIONS. 



The beef production investigations carried on through the Alabama 

 Experiment Station with two large landowners in Sumter County, 

 Ala., are progressing in a highly satisfactory manner. Every phase of 

 the cattle industry under those conditions is being studied, and results 

 are being obtained which, it is believed, \\nll be of great value to the 

 South. The fact that cattle can be fed profitably in Alabama in sum- 

 mer has been demonstrated by the officers in charge of this work. It 

 is fortunate that the work is so well advanced that by the time the 

 pastures of western Alabama are free from ticks and the cotton boll 



