ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 709 



During the test 35 pigs, averaging 87 lbs. each in weight, followed the steers. 

 Beside the undigested feed which they gathered they consumed 4,560 lbs. of refuse 

 grain from the feeding troughs and gained 3,882 lbs. in weight. 



Steer feeding, F. B. Linfield {Montana Sla. Bui. 48, pp. 153-165, figs. 4). — ^The 

 comparative merits of different grain rations supplementing clover hay ad libitum 

 were tested with 4 lots of 6 steers each, 3 lbs. of chopped grain being fed per head 

 daily at first, the amount being later increased to a full feed of 5 ]l)s. In the 111 

 day.s of the test, which began December 1, 1902, the lot fed wheat made an average 

 daily gain of 2.10 lbs.; the lot fed oats, 1.69 lbs.; the lot feil barley, 2.34 lbs., and 

 the lot fed a mixture of equal parts of wheat, oats, and barley, 2.53 lbs., the average 

 for all the rations being 2.15 lbs. per steer. The cost of a pound of gain ranged from 

 4.2 cts. on a mixed grain ration to 6.1 cts. on oats, averaging 5.2 cts. for all the rations. 

 Considering the test as a whole, 12.8 lbs. of clover hay and 1.9 lbs. of grain were 

 required per pound of gain. 



Though the fact is recognized that definite conclusions can not be drawn, yet the 

 author believes that the test indicates that a mixed grain ration is superior to a 

 single variety of grain, the rations tested ranking as follows: Mixed grain 100, wheat 

 99.5, barley 84.5, and oats 84. It was noticed that the cattle tired of the wheat 

 after about 2 months and a change was necessary to induce them to continue eating 

 it. This, the author states, was likewise true of all the grains fed, but not to the 

 same extent as with the wheat. 



"After a gradual change of the rations to mixed grain with bran the cattle ate the 

 mixture with relish and made the most rapid gains of the winter. 



" The experiments made at the station for tiie past 3 years seem to show that 

 on the average the profit to be made in fattening 2 to 3 year old steers, with Mon- 

 tana prices for feeding stuffs, must come from an increase in the value of the pur- 

 chased weight of the steer. 



"This fact, however, does not make less important the study of the relative values 

 of feeding rations. In this test the difference in returns between the best and the 

 poorest ration was $3.52 per steer, by no means an unimportant item." 



Experiments in fattening lambs, F. B. Linfield ( Ulali Sta. Bui. No. 78, pp. 55, 

 figs. 2). — Continuing work previously reported (E. S. R., 13, p. 174) on the value of 

 local-grown feeding stuffs for sheep, a test beginning December 31, 1900, and cover- 

 ing 3 periods of 4 weeks was made with 4 lots, each containing at the start 25 lambs, 

 weighing about 38 lbs. All were fed alfalfa hay. In addition lot 1 was fed wheat 

 screenings, lot 2 chopped wheat, and lot 3 wheat screenings and bran. Lot 4 was 

 fed straw in adihtion to alfalfa hay with bran also in the second period and bran 

 and wheat screenings in the third period. 



During the test the average daily gain on wheat screenings (lot 1) was 0.115 lb., 

 on chopped wheat (lot 2) 0.110 lb., on wheat screenings and bran (lot 3) 0.118 lb., 

 and on straw and grain (lot 4) 0.103 lb. per lamb. The grain eaten per pound of 

 gain ranged from 2.82 lbs. with lot 4 (straw and grain) to 5.9 lbs. with lot 1 (wheat 

 screenings). The former lot ate the largest amount of coarse fodder (13.43 lbs. of 

 alfalfa and 0.81 lb. of straw) per pound of gain. The smallest amount (8.47 lbs. of 

 alfalfa) was eaten by lot 3 on wheat screenings and bran. The cost of a pound 

 of gain ranged from 4.67 c;ts. with lot 4 (straw and grain) to 6.28 cts. with lot 2 

 (wheat). 



On January 16, 1902, a test similar to the above, except that molasses and sugar- 

 beet pulp were also fed, was begun with 6 lots of lambs averaging 56 lbs. in weight, lots 

 1 and 2 each containing 16 lambs, and lots 3 to 6 each 17 lambs. As before, alfalfa 

 hay was fed to all the lots, with grain or other feed in addition. On wheat screen- 

 ings the lambs in lot 1 during the 78 days of the test made an average daily gain of 

 0.217 lb. ; lot 2, on bran and molasses, 0.2 11). ; lot 3, on beet ])ulp ad libitum, 0.207 lb.; 

 lot 4, on a limited amount of beet pulp (8 to 50 lbs. ])er lot daily), 0.133 lb.; lot 5, on 

 }x"'t i)nlp ad lii)itum, supplemented by ('(pial }>arts of wheat screenings and hnui. 



