Live Stock Breeders' Association. 



185 



acter and results. This' method of fattening is popular, especially 

 with those feeding a large number of animals, requiring the at- 

 tention of several feeders; but we have found it in common use 

 among those who fatten but a small number annually. An in- 

 vestigation of this practice draws attention to two points : 1. Ef- 

 fect on the gain in live weight. 2. The relative amount of dry 

 matter required to produce the gains made. 



Below will be found a table which includes the data collected 

 in our investigation of this point in the season, 1894-5 : 



TABLE 4. ECONOMY OF A SELF-FEED — 1894-5. 



In the above table, lot 21 was fed twice each day, as described 

 in previous pages of this bulletin. The ration of lot 21 was com- 

 posed of equal parts by weight of corn and wheat mixed, and 

 clover hay. Lot 26 was fed by means of four self-feeders, one 

 containing corn, another bran, another wheat, and still another 

 oats. These self-feeders were kept filled with grain, but were so 

 constructed that the food worked its way down to the feeding 

 trough no faster than the animals ate it from below. In previous 

 experiments we have mixed the grain for the animals and supplied 

 it to them through one rack, but we believe the arrangements de- 

 scribed above is preferable. 



The lambs (lot 26) ate five hundred and fifty-six pounds of 

 corn, four hundred and sixty-seven pounds of bran, two hundred 

 and forty-seven pounds of oats and one hundred and eighty-nine 

 pounds of wheat. This is seemingly a very favorable showing for 

 corn, as the main food in the fattening ration. Referring again to 

 table 4, it will be observed that the self-fed lambs ate considerably 

 more grain, a little less hay, drank more water, and made a smaller 

 total gain than lot 21 fed in the ordinary way. The point of great- 

 est significance, however, is the amount of dry matter required to 

 produce a pound of increase in live weight, and this is manifestly 

 greatly in favor of lot 21, receiving its food regularly at stated 

 times. Lot 26, fed by means of self-feeders, required 10.04 pounds 

 of dry matter to produce one pound of gain, while lot two required 



