361 



Amounts of feed consumed per animal, live and dressed iceights, and weiglits of parts. 



The cost of feed for each animal is n ot calculated. The reports of 

 several persons who tested the meat were unanimous in ascribing the 

 best tlavor to that of the Di-von, which was the youngest animal of all, 

 that of the Galloway, Holstein, Hereford, and Shorthorn following in 

 the order named. 



The results of this experiment seem strongly to confirm the following : 



(1) The amount of fooil consumed is no index of the amount of gain it will produce, 

 that is, of its profitable use aud conversion into meat. 



(2) Neither is the total gain secured, nor the rate of gain a sure guide to the eco- 

 nomical use of food by Ihe animal. 



(3) Large gains are not necessarily economical ones nor medium ones necessarily 

 costly. 



(4) Age is the all-controlling circumstance that decides the rate of gain. The 

 ration necessary to sustain the gain increases with age in about the same proportion 

 as the weight of the animal, but the gain remains absolutely about the same. 



(5) "Baby beef" is not inconsistent with high quality. 



(6) Nervousness is not necessarily a sign of a bad feeder. 



(7) Great development in size is not a necessary condition to profitable feeding nor 

 to quality. 



(8) The " type " of an animal has much to do with his ability to use food to good 

 advantage in the production of meat. In this sense there is a distinction aud a dif- 

 ference between the breeds for beef purposes. 



(9) Those nearest the "dairy type" made less gain to the food consumed, and it 

 consisted more largely of fat on and about the internal organs. This type was also 

 characterized by coarser extremities, a longer, fatter rib, more shrinkage of meat in 

 cooling, and a higher percentage of cheap parts. 



The author further adds that — 



As between the beef breeds, I think no one can here suggest marked differences 

 that can not be sufficiently explained on other grounds. As in all experiments of 

 this kind, greater differences are noticeable within the breeds than between them. 

 The two Herefords are in this experiment nearly at extremes in everything but type, 

 and in that respect as far apart as is allowable among Herefords. Aside from the 

 Holsteins, no two animals of the lot difiered more than did the two Herefords. Very 

 olose upon them came the two Galloways, svith marked differences in build. 



