870 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOKD. [Vol.43 



Value of alfalfa hay for fattening cattle, J. H. Skinner and F. G. King 



{Indiana Sta. Bui. 2fi5 (1920), pp. 8, fig. /). — The authors present average re- 

 sults of four experiments involving comparisons between alfalfa hay and clover 

 hay (with or without silage) as roughages in steer feeding. It is concluded 

 that the two hays are approximately equal in value. The detailed results have 

 been noted from Bulletins 178, 183, 191, and 206 (E. S. R., 38, p. 873). 



Pea straw for fattening cattle, H. Hackedorn (Breeder's Gaz., 77 (1920), 

 No. 15, p. 966, fig. 1). — At the Washington Experiment Station 4 lots of 6 grade 

 Shorthorn steers were fed for 95 days. Each lot received the same grain mix- 

 ture, steam-rolled barley and choice cottonseed meal (7:1). 



The lot receiving pea straw as sole roughage made an average daily gain 

 of 2.44 lbs. per head and consumed 6.2 lbs. of grain and 7.7 lbs. of pea straw 

 per pound of gain. The lot receiving alfalfa hay as sole roughage made an 

 average daily gain of 2.43 lbs. and consumed 6.2 lbs. of grain and 6.1 lbs. of 

 alfalfa per pound of gain. The third lot consumed 6 lbs. of gi-ain, 4 lbs. of 

 pea straw, and 2.9 lbs. of alfalfa per pound of gain and made an average 

 daily gain of 2.49 lbs. The fourth lot consumed 5.6 lbs. of gi'ain, 3.2 lbs. of 

 pea straw, and 7.7 lbs. of corn silage per pound of gain and made an average 

 daily gain of 2.22 lbs. It is concluded that pea straw is about 30 per cent less 

 efficient than alfalfa. 



Winter rations for breeding ewes, A. A. Dowell and G. L. Flack (Farm 

 and Ranch Rev., 16 (1920), No. 19, pp. 9, lS-20, figs. 5).— The authors report 

 experiments conducted during the winter of 1919-20 at the University of Alberta, 

 10 lots of 4 or 5 ewes each being fed during the period of pregnancy. 



The ewes wintered on afalfa hay alone made greater gains, were in better 

 condition at lambing, produced larger lambs, and sheared heavier fleeces than 

 those on any other roughage or combination of roughage and oats tested. Those 

 fed on prairie hay and whole oats also lambed in very good condition. Lots 

 fed either oat straw and alfalfa (1:1), "oat green feed hay," or "oat green 

 feed hay " and prairie hay are described as being in good condition at lambing, 

 but the lamb crop was poor when the oat hay alone was fed. Ewes fed timothy 

 hay alone were in fair condition. Those fed oat straw and whole oats were 

 thin, and those fed either prairie hay alone or oat straw and swede turnips were 

 very thin. 



Two lots were fed prairie hay and whole oats, one receiving snow and the 

 other water, but there were no marked differences between the two at the 

 end of the test. 



The searing iron v. the knife for docking or detailing lambs, J. M. Jones 

 and C. M. Hubbakd (Texas Sta. Bui. 262 (1920), pp. 3-12, fig. 1).—In the course 

 of a 4-year experiment 84 lambs were detailed with the hot iron or the dock- 

 ing pincers and 84 were detailed with a sharp knife without searing or ligating 

 the artery. The latter group seemed to suffer less pain, their wounds healed 

 a week sooner, and they gained more rapidly the first few weeks following 

 the operation. A third group consisting of 32 lambs were docked with a 

 knife and the artery seared, but the wounds healed less rapidly than the 

 unseared wounds and the lambs grew more slowly than those docked with a 

 hot iron. Male lambs castrated at the time of docking grew more rapidly 

 than the ewe lambs. 



The training of the camel, I. Dkoandi (Agr. Colon. [Italpl, H (1920), No. 

 5, pp. 201-218, pi. 1). — Methods used in Africa and Arabia in breaking camels 

 to the saddle and in training them to travel in caravans are described. 



Value of barley for fattening hogs, C. P. Thomson (Duroc Bui. and Live 

 Stock Farmer, 16 (1920), No. 23, pp. 97-9S).— Results from feeding two lots of 



