518 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



gained less and shrank more than those fed wheat and beets. Barley- 

 alone or with beets does not seem to make as hard flesh and fat as corn 

 or wheat. 



Maturing skim-milk calves, C. F. Curtiss {loiva Bui. 32, pp. 448- 

 400, Jiff. 1). — This is a continuation of an experiment reported in Bulle- 

 tin Uo of the station (E. S. R., G, p. 453). The experiment was made 

 with G high-grade Shorthorn calves. At the conclusion of the 90-day 

 skim-milk period mentioned in Bulletin 25 the calves had gained 857 

 lbs. The average weight of the calves was 247 lbs. The present test 

 lasted from December 25, 1893, until December 1, 1895. They were 

 castrated soon after the test began and fed liberally on grain and hay, 

 but were not forced until toward the close of the experiment. They 

 were pastured during June and July. Full details of the experiment 

 are given in tabular form. 



The average gain per head daily for the entire period including milk 

 feeding was 1.72 lbs. The average gain per head daily for the entire 

 period not including pasturage was 1.91 lbs. The average cost of feed 

 per pound of gain for the entire period was 4.8 cts. The cost of food is 

 based on ear corn at 4G cts., '' snapped" corn 37.5 cts., corn meal 62.5 cts., 

 shelled corn 57.5 cts., ground oats $1, bran 70 cts., sheaf oats 50 cts., 

 stock beets 5 cts., corn-and-cob meal GO cts., whole oats 94 cts., linseed 

 meal $1, cotton-seed meal 85 cts., gluten meal 75 cts., ground flaxseed 

 $1.25, ground wheat $1, hay 30 cts., green clover 2.5 cts., green peas 

 2.5 cts., green corn fodder 2.5 cts., and dry corn fodder 20 cts. per 100 

 lbs. There was a loss of weight while the steers were at pasture. 

 " This was an unexpected result, and can only be accounted for on the 

 ground that the pasture, being blue grass and timothy, had become too 

 dry and ripe to aftbrd good results." 



The advantage of marketing the cattle earlier is discussed at length. 

 The author concludes that it Avould have been more profitable to sell 

 the cattle at the end of 17 months than at the close of the experiment. 



At the conclusion of the test the cattle were sold in Chicago and 

 slaughtered. The price received was $4.85 per 100 lbs. They were 

 sold, in the author's opinion, at a decidedly unfavorable time. A few 

 lots of cattle sold on this day brought a higher price than those in the 

 test. The author believes that their failure to take highest rank was 

 due to their inferior breed. The total live weight was 8,4G0 lbs., 

 dressed weight 5,471 lbs., and the percentage of dressed beef 64.9. 



"The percentage of dressed meat is high; the meat was of prime quality, and the 

 percentage of weight in the high-priced cuts averages fully as good as any former 

 lot that we have fed. The claim that cattle of this age contain less fat and conse- 

 quently kill more profitably than larger cattle does not seem to have been very fully 

 substantiated." 



In the author's opiaion these experiments show that — 



" The calf is capable of making excellent returns for food consumed, and that good 

 calves can undoubtedly be raised with prolit on skim milk and farm feeds. The 

 essential conditions in a successful feeding operation of this kind are, good quality 



