190 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



1. Lots receiving corn in the fattening ration, either in whole 

 or in part, produced the best gains, were apparently in better finish 

 and in general were fed at a greater profit than the lots fed any 

 other ration. (See lots 1, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 22, etc.) 



2. A grain ration made up exclusively of wheat bran proved 

 to be inferior for fattening lambs. (See lot 3.) 



3. Feeding by means of a "self-feeder" is an expensive method 

 of fattening, and is not to be recommended either from the stand- 

 point of total gains made or the amount of dry matter required to 

 produce a given gain. (Compare lots 7 and 10; 11 and 18; 15 and 

 19, and 21 and 26.) 



4. Wheat bran costs more, pound for pound, than corn, and 

 hence can not' be fed profitably in this State, except when it ap- 

 proaches very closely the value of corn. 



5. When roots are fed in a ration better gains are made and 

 less dry matter is required to produce one pound of gain. 



6. Shearing lambs late (March 8) in winter during the feed- 

 ing period increases the rate of gain. 



7. Shearing in fall (December 1) was not followed by good 

 results and in these experiments was not as profitable as feeding 

 unshorn lambs. (Compare lots 21 and 24.) 



8. The animals fattened on rape during the fall and in good 

 condition at the beginning of the experiment were essentially as 

 successful feeders as those in poorer condition that were pastured 

 on grass during the same fall period. (Compare lots 21 and 27.) 



9. Small gains are not necessarily unprofitable nor are large 

 gains a sure index of profitable food consumption. 



10. Roots were a valuable addition to every ration to which 

 they were added. 



FEEDING THE DAIRY COW. 



(O. H. Eckles, Professor of Dairy Husbandry, University of Missouri.) 



There are two factors which largely control the economical 

 production of milk. One is the adaptability of the cow used to 

 this purpose and depends upon her individual and breed character- 

 istics. The other is the amount and kind of food eaten. The prob- 

 lem confronting the dairyman is the production of the largest 



