570 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



The "use of food" steers were feci half as much hay (alfalfa) as grain, and 

 the grain consisted of com chop, whole oats, and linseed meal 6:3:1. The other 

 two groups were fed four-tenths as much hay as grain, and the grain consisted 

 of corn chop and linseed meal 8 :1. Weights, measurements, and analyses were 

 made. 



The authors conclude from their studies that " the mass of active hody tissue, 

 measured by the active body nitrogen, is a good medium of reference for main- 

 tenance costs. The relative surface area of cattle is a measure of the relative 

 energy needs. The proportion of surface area to the two-thirds power of the 

 live weight is shown to vary with the condition of the animal, but to be 

 fairly constant for a given condition. The specific gravity of the blood of beef 

 cattle is shown to be fairly constant with an average value of about 1.0510. 

 Poorer nutrition seems to give a lower specific gravity. The proportion of blood 

 to animal is shown to vary with the condition of the animal, but to be fairly 

 constant for a given condition. 



"Ah average consumption of 0.826 gm. of digestible nitrogen and 170 

 metabolizable calories of energy per 100 gm. of active body nitrogen per day 

 are suflicient for maintenance. The consumption of energy per square meter of 

 surface was 2,435 calories per day. Per kilogram of blood it required 3.31 

 gm. of digestible nitrogen and 667 calories of energy. In the customary units 

 per 1,000 lbs., 0.889 lbs. of digestible protein and 12.92 therms of metabolizable 

 energy sufficed for maintenance. 



" Condition alone seems to have no effect upon the cost of maintenance. The 

 cost of maintenance is high after a previous full-fed period, and the higher 

 the previous plane of nutrition the greater this increase in cost. The cost of 

 maintenance decreases with increasing age. The cost of maintenance is least 

 in the spring and greatest in the winter. During the other seasons it is inter- 

 mediate. A long maintenance trial seems to cause a lowering cost, but age and 

 previous treatment are strong contributory causes. Great activity causes a 

 higher maintenance cost. Poor thrift and high cost of maintenance seem to go 

 together. The heavier the animal the greater the cost of maintenance in 

 energy per unit of surface area. This is due to a relatively smaller surface 

 area as well as to the heavier weight sustained." 



Growth of pasture animals, Faxke (Arb. Mitt. Deut. Oesell. Weidew. u. 

 YiehzucM Leipzig, No. 1 {19U), pp. 31, fig. J).— The advantages of raising 

 spring calves are pointed out, it being shown that during the first six months 

 the most rapid and cheapest growth is made, that a summer's feeding on pasture 

 puts calves in a position to undergo a rigorous winter, and that their subse- 

 quent gains are more rapid. 



Calf-feeding' experiment, 1914, P. H. Foulkes, A. Andrews, and J. B. 

 Garnett {Field Expts. Harper Adams Agr. Col., Salop and Staffordshire, Bpt. 

 1914, pp. 19-21, fig. 1). — Four lots of 4 calves each were fed 10 weeks as follows: 

 Lot. 1, 6 qt. of new milk daily per calf; lot 2, new milk gradually replaced 

 by a gruel made from a home-mixed calf feed consisting of oatmeal, linseed 

 meal, and corn meal 2:1:2; lot 3, new milk gradually substituted by a calf 

 meal consisting of ground linseed, linseed cake meal, flour, and bean meal 

 5 : 14 : 2 : 2 ; and lot 4, 6 qt. separated milk, 2 to 3 oz. cod liver oil, and ^ to 1 lb. 

 crushed oats per day per calf. The average weekly gains per calf were 11.45, 

 7.1, 8.65, and 10.17 lbs., respectively, costing 7.25, 8.06, 5.34, and 2.8d. per pound 

 of gain. 



[Sheep-breeding experiments], P. H. Fotjlkes, A. Andrews, and J. B. Gar- 

 nett (Field Expts. Harper Adams Agr. Col., Salop and Staffordshire, Rpt. 1914, 

 p. 22). — Ewes of the Improved Welsh breed were mated with pure-bred Rye- 



