68 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD, 



peas, pea meal, malt combings, ground screen iugf<, and mixed feeds. The need 

 of a Canadian feeding-stuff law is pointed out. 



Fattening- steers for export, G. E. Day (Ann. Rpt. Ontario Agr. Col. and 

 Expt. Farm, 32 (1906), i)p. 15S-163) .—Two lots of 11 steers each and one lot 

 of 7 steers were used to test the relative merits of long and short feeding 

 periods. The ration in every case consisted of mixed grain with hay, silage, and 

 roots. 



On a heavy grain ration, on an average 0.607 lb. per 100 lbs. of live weight per 

 day, the average daily gain per head in the short period, GO days, was 1.61 lbs. 

 and the cost of a pound of gain 9.50 cts. On a light grain ration, 0.566 lb. per 

 100 lbs. of live weight per day, the average daily gaiu was 1.5 lbs. per head and 

 the cost of a pound of gain 9.00 cts. In the long period, 153 days, the average 

 daily gain was 1.62 lbs. per head, the cost of a pound of gain 8.47 cts., and the 

 average grain consumption 0.489 lb. per 100 lbs. of live weight per day. The 

 steers fed for the longer time were at the beginning of the test on an average 

 200 to 400 lbs. lighter than the others. 



The following deductions were drawn from the test, although the results are 

 not regarded as final : " To feed steers cheaply, the meal ration should be kept 

 as low as ixjssible consistent with securing a reasonable gain in weight. Heavy, 

 fleshy (short keep) steers may be fed a heavier meal ration per 100 lbs. live 

 weight than lighter and thinner steers, and give an equal profit, making allow- 

 ance for their greater first cost per pound. The lighter and thinner the steers, 

 the greater the need for economizing in regard to the meal ration. Condition 

 being equal, heavy steers are worth more per pound to buy as feeders than 

 lighter ones, the selling price per pound being the same. Weight being equal, a 

 fleshy steer is worth more per pound to buy as a feeder, the selling price per 

 pound being the same. The lighter and thinner the steer the greater the 

 ' spread ' beto'een the buying and selling price per pound necessary to compensate 

 the man who feeds him." 



The relative merits of feeding steers loose and tied in stalls were tested with 

 the 2 lots which were fed for the short period. The 11 steers fed the light ration 

 were tied and 4 of the steers which were fe<l the heavy ration were allowed to 

 run loose. In the case of the latter animals the average daily gain was 2..31 lbs. 

 per steer and the cost of a pound of gain 6.34 cts. " It will be noticed that the 

 loose steers made a much greater gain than those kept tied and at a much 

 smaller cost per pound. . . . No doubt uuuh of this advantage was due to 

 the fact that the loose steers suffered no setback from scouring." The author 

 points out that the difference in favor of the profit with the loose steers would 

 have been still greater if they had been of the same weight as the animals fed 

 tied instead of being lighter. 



Feeding tests, F. W. Taylor (Netr Hauipshirv tSta. Bui. 129, pp. 255-257). — 

 In a 60-day test, the relative value of protena was studied in comparison with a 

 mixture of equal parts of bran, corn meal, cottonseed meal, linseed meal, and 

 Union Grains. Two Jersey cows in approximately the same period of lactation 

 were fed 8 lbs. per head per day of the grain rations, together with mixed hay 

 ad libitum. On the protena ration, the total milk production was 1,048.2 qts., 

 equivalent to 146.36 lbs. of butter, and on the mixed ration, 1,211 qts., equivalent 

 to 166.54 lbs. of butter. 



" The cost per quart of milk produced was 1.19 cents for the protena and 1.10 

 cents for the mixed ration. The protena, which is made up largely of ground 

 alfalfa, is more or less dusty and forms a sticky paste in the mouth, and for that 

 reason was not eaten with the same relish as the variety ration." 



The feeding value of protena was further tested with 5 pigs. On this material 

 and skim milk there was a total gain of 151 lbs. in 30 days, at a cost of 3.27 



