480 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Two substitute'!? for milk were finally deferniined upon. The first was made up of 

 3 p?rt9 of wheat flour, 2.5 of cocoanut meal, 2 of Nutrium, 1 of linseed meal, and 0.2 

 of dried V)lood. One pound of this mixed meal was added to 6 lbs. of hot water, and 

 after stirring a little was allowed to cool to 100° F., when it was fed from a pail or 

 calf feeder, the latter method being regarded as preferable. The second mixture, 

 which was regarded as somewhat inferior to the first, was made of 1.03 parts of corn 

 meal, 2 of Nutrium, 0.15 of flaxseed, 0.2 of dried blood, 3 of flour, 0.6 of cocoanut 

 meal, and 0.6 of sifted oat chop. For purposes of comparison 2 calves were fed in 

 the usual way on skim milk. The length of the feeding period varied with the differ- 

 ent calves. . The gains made by each calf are reported. 



The author states that the calves were fed on an average 7.6 lbs. of meal for 7.7 

 days. For 5 days they consumed on an average 5.4 lbs. of milk and 0.77 lb. of meal. 

 For 83.4 days on an average they were fed meal mixture only, consuming on an aver- 

 age 2.17 lbs. each. In several cases a little milk was fed after the calves had been 

 accustomed to the mixed-meal ration. According to the author— 



"The calf meal is not as satisfactory a food as whole milk for very young calves, 

 and it is quite likely that for the first few weeks upon this ration the calf does not 

 have the vigor or power of resistance that it W(5uld have if fed upon its natural food. 

 As a consequence, calves that are to be raised upon a milk substitute should have 

 provided for them warm and dry quarters that will keep the animal comfortable at 

 all times. This feature of raising calves can not be too strongly emphasized. 



"From the results of these trials the following conclusions seem warranted: There 

 is little difficulty in raising prime dairy calves without milk after they are 2 weeks 

 old. The cost of raising calves on a milk substitute up to the time they can be put 

 on a hay and grain ration, or when they are between 3 and 4 months of age, need not 

 exceed $10, exclusive of care. Calves from high-class, well-bred dairy stock when 

 raised in this way are worth much more than they cost, and afford the only means 

 by which a milk dairymaTi can raise his herd to a high standard of excellence." 



In connection with the above experiments the compositioji of Nutrium wa.s 

 determined. 



Baby beef, H. M. Gottrell {Kansas Sta. Bui. 113, ]>]). 39-49). — The compara- 

 tive value of alfalfa hay, prairie hay, corn, Kafir corn, and soy beans for the produc- 

 tion of baby beef^that is, well-fattened young cattle — w^as tested. For this purpo.se 

 130 calves, which had just been weaned, were divided into 6 lots and fed for a 

 period covering 7 months. The following table shows the results obtained: 



Average results of feeding tests witJi ijoung cattle. 



Thirty-two of the animals were steers. These averaged 838 lbs. in weight at the 

 conclusion of the trial, and sold for $5.40 per hundred. Of the heifers, 74 averaged 

 758 lbs. in weight, and sold for $5.35 per hundred, and 18 averaged 741 lbs. in weight, 

 and sold for $5.15 per hundred. The author notes that the amount of food required 

 per pound of gain in fattening young animals is comparatively small; furthermore, 

 that the heifer calves made practically as high returns as the steers. 



