EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 303 



REPORT OF EXTENSION WORK IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 



BY V. A. FREEMAN 



Animal Husbandry Extension work had been carried on in Mich- 

 igan previous to June 30, 1922, under a project entitled "Live Stock" 

 and a sub-project entitled "Sheep Husbandry", but no Extension Spec- 

 ialist had been engaged in Animal Husbandry work for several months. 

 Since July 1, 1922, a project entitled "Extension Work in Animal Hus- 

 bandry" by means of specialists has been effective. The work was 

 started by the undersigned July 14th. Only the one specialist has 

 yet been employed for the various phases of work covering beef cattle, 

 sheep, swine, and horses. 



Excellent co-operation has existed between the work by the Extension 

 Specialist and the extension work done by the regular teaching and 

 experimental staff of the Animal Husbandry Department of M. A. C, 

 exchange of work often having been arranged to improve schedules. 



Replacement of scrub bulls, boars, and rams with purebreds of cor- 

 rect type has been attempted, and will be continued the coming year. 

 Hog feeding methods leading to economy of production and suitable 

 feeds to supplement the home grown supply as well as the importance 

 of minerals have been brought to the attention of hog raisers. The recent 

 development of "baby beef" production makes training for its manage- 

 ment and feeding imperative and work along this line will be attempted 

 soon. 



Ultimate state goals might be expressed in having every breeder of 

 horses, beef cattle, sheep or swine use nothing but purebred sires of 

 good type and individuality; in having all breeder-s and feeders using 

 the most economical systems of management consistent with quality 

 production and adapted to their particular conditions; in education 

 of feeders and furnishing guides so they may be able to select for them- 

 selves supplementary feeds for an ever changing market that will most 

 economically supply the nutrients and qualities lacking in their home 

 grown supply of feeds; in developing a study of markets so that meat 

 production may be of a quality and type that meets the consumers' 

 demand with as much spread as possible between selling price and cost 

 of production. Within the next year the number of swine producers 

 making the maximum use of pasture, keeping suitable minerals before 

 their animals throughout the year, and economically supplementing his 

 rations should be greatly increased. 



The number of shepherds dosing their sheep and lambs regularly for 

 stomach worms may be doubled or tripled. Other lines of work are 

 likely to be more or less general unless additional specialists are added 

 to the force. 



The work that has apparently accomplished most has been through 

 local meetings held in the yards or ibarns on farms where meetings have 



