792 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



sheep require for fattening a ration with a wide nutritive ratio, better results ))eing 

 obtained when the ratio was 1: 8.5 than when it was 1:4 or 1 : 5. Commercial concen- 

 trated feeds are regarded as useful for fattening sheep and the choice must be deter- 

 mined by their relative cost. Such feeding stuffs should supjaiement a quantity of 

 coarse fodder sufficient to maintain a regular action of the digestive functions. 



Alfalfa w. sorghum for wintering' calves, E. A. Burnett {Nebraska Sta. Bui. 

 75, }>}). .'?-.9, /?r/.s-. ;?). — Thi- author rejxirts 2 tests on the feeding of young beef cattle. 

 In the first the relative value of alfalfa and sorghum was tested with 3 lots of calves, 

 lots 1 and 2 containing 6 grade Herefords each and lot 3 containing 6 grade Short- 

 horns. After a preliminary j^eriod of 2 months, during which all the calves were 

 fed on mixed grass and clover pasture and later given some alfalfa hay and grain 

 (corn, bran, and oats 2:1:1), the experiment proper began on December 1 and cov- 

 ered 141 days. Lots 1 and 2 were fed 6 lbs. per head of alfalfa hay per day and lot 

 3 the same amount of sorghum hay. All the lots were fed at first 5 lbs. of corn, 

 oats, and bran, 2:1:1, per head daily, the amount being gradually increased to 8 

 lbs. At the beginning of the test all the calves averaged 339 lbs. in weight. The 

 average gain of the 3 lots during the test was 236 lbs., 244 lbs., and 218 lbs. per calf, 

 the total grain eaten Vjeing 1,032 lbs. per head and the total hay 1,183 lbs. In other 

 words, there was a gain of 22 lbs. per calf in favor of alfalfa hay over sorghum hay. 



In the second test, which was made to compare pasturage with and without grain, 

 the animals mentioned above were rearranged in 2 lots so that each contained one- 

 half of those previously fed the alfalfa and the sorghum rations. Two Aberdeen- 

 Angus steers of about the same weight were also included in the lot fed grain. Lot 

 1 was kei)t from May 1 to November 1 on a 16-acre pasture containing brome grass, 

 mixed grasses, and 3 acres of alfalfa. On account of drought the feed was poor 

 during a part of the time. Lot 2 also had tiie run of a jiasture and throughout the 

 test was fed in addition at first corn meal only and later corn and bran 3:1, the total 

 amount of corn meal eaten l)eing 1,893 lbs. and of the bran 260 lbs. The average 

 gain in the lot on pasture only was 292 lbs. and in the lot receiving grain in addition 

 to pasturage it was 404 lbs. The steers were sold for slaughtering, those in lot 1 

 being regarded by an expert as worth $4 per 100 and those in lot 2 $5.75 per 100. 

 The estimated profit in lot 1 was $2.01 per animal. With the Herefords in lot 2 it 

 was $5.39 per head, and with the Aberdeen-Angus steers in this lot, $5.56 per head. 

 According to the author this exjieriment shows that wiien steers are to be marketed 

 in the fall or early winter there is more profit in summer feeding grain in addition 

 to pasturage. Where steers are to be winter fed on grain for a spring market, there 

 is more profit to feed no grain when on pasture. 



Raising calves for beef production — skim milk r. sucking dam, E. A. Bur- 

 nett {Nebraska Sta. Bui. 75, jyp. "24-o0, fig. 1). — To study the effects on the growth 

 after weaning of calves fed skim milk as compared with those allowed to run-Avith 

 their dams, 2 lots of 3 animals each, formerly included in a test comparing skim milk 

 and whole milk (E. S. R., 13, p. 174), were fed for 63 weeks, the tests being divided 

 into 3 periods of 147 days each. During the first period all were fed 789 lbs. alfalfa 

 hay and 896 lbs. grain (corn and ])ran, 3:1). During the second period the steers 

 were pastured and fed per head daily 8 lbs. of corn, oats, and bran, 2:1:1. At the 

 end of this period one of the animals previously fed whole milk was withdrawn from 

 the experiment. The remaining 5 were fed corn, oats, and bran, 2:1:1, in addition 

 to alfalfa hay and roots, the total amount of corn eaten being 2,575 lbs., hay 1,538 

 lbs., and roots 1,015 lbs. During the first period the average gain of the skim-milk 

 calves (lot 1) was 292 lbs. per head and that of the whole-milk calves 343 lbs. Dur- 

 ing the second period the average gains were 280 and 250 lbs. per head, respectively, 

 and during the third period 332 and 335 lbs. Considering the test as a whole, the 

 average gain of the 2 lots was the same, namely, 903 lbs. per head. In other 

 words, the character of the feed before weaning did not exert a marked influence 

 on subsequent gains. 



