191T1 DAIRY FARMING DAIRYING. 71 



Mating and early hatching, V. G. Aubbt {New Jersey Stas. Hints to Poultry- 

 men, S {1917), No. 4, PP- 4)- — Brief directions are given for selecting and mat- 

 ing fowls for increased egg production, together with an outline of the advan- 

 tages of early hatching. 



Colony brooding, V. G. Axtbby {New Jersey Stas. Hints to Poultrymen, S 

 {1917), No. 6, pp. 4)- — Brief directions are given for the artificial brooding of 

 chicks by the colony plan. 



Preparing birds for exhibition, R. F. Ibvin {New Jersey Stas. Hints to 

 J'oultrymen, 5 {1916), No. 1, pp. 4)- — Brief directions are given for selecting, 

 conditioning, training, washing and cleaning, and shipping poultry for ex- 

 liibition. 



The Vlneland international egg laying and breeding contest, H. R. Lewis 

 {Neiv Jersey Stas. Hints to Poultrymen, 5 {1916), No. 2, pp. 4). — This circular 

 briefly describes the three-year international egg laying and breeding contest 

 being conducted at Vineland, N. J., and points out ways by which the ix)ultry- 

 nien of the State may follow the results of the contest. 



Our state department of poultry husbandry, its organization and activi- 

 ties, H. R. Lewis {New Jersey Stas. Hints to Poultrymen, 5 {1917), No. 5, 

 PP- 4)' — A- brief outline is given. 



DAIRY FARMING— DAIRYING. 



The nutrients required to develop the bovine fetus, C. H. Eckles {Mis- 

 souri Sta. Research Bui. 26 {1916), pp. S-36, figs. 4). — The author reviews in- 

 vestigations by others upon the utilization of food by mammals for the de- 

 velopment of the fetus and reports experiments with cows from which it is 

 concluded that a cow can produce a fetus on the same ration that will main- 

 tain her when dry and farrow, or that the amount of nutrients necessary to 

 develop the bovine fetus is so small that it can not be measured by ordinary 

 methods of experimentation. 



Four cows were kept during the entire period of gestation on a ration 

 found by six months' trial to be only sufficient to maintain them at uniform 

 weight when not pregnant and not producing milk. These cows developed 

 calves of normal size on this ration, and one cow weighed 48 lbs. more after 

 the calf was dropped than when bred and the other weighed only 17 lbs. less. 

 This result was confirmed by two additional cows, the feeding of which was 

 regulated during gestation by that required to maintain a dry farrow cow 

 at uniform weight. One of the Jersey cows developed a normal fetus while 

 receiving less than a maintenance ration during the period of gestation. 



The author states that these results may be due to one or more of three 

 possible factors — (1) better use of feed during gestation, (2) decreased main- 

 tenance during pregnancy, and (3) small amount of dry matter in fetus. Con- 

 clusions with reference to these factors are summarized as follows: 



" While the data taken are not very satisfactory, the indications are that the 

 coefficient of digestibility is not changed by pregnancy. The data do not make 

 it possible to conclude definitely that the maintenance of the animals is decreased 

 by pregnancy, but it is thought this is probable and could be accounted for by 

 the animal being quieter when in this condition. The data show that the amount 

 of dry matter contained in the fetus and its accompanying fluid and membranes 

 is very small. The small feed requirement necessary to supply the dry matter 

 of the fetus, together with the amniotic fluid and placenta, is either too small to 

 be measured on account of the length of time represented or it is offset by the 

 saving due to decreased maintenance. 

 102477°— 17 6 



