FOODS ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 675 



in the morning" a mash composed of bran, ground oats, and corn, 

 2:1:1, seasoned with salt and cayenne pepper. Four lots, however, 

 had dried blood added to the mash — that is, these lots were fed a ration 

 with a narrower nutritive ratio than the other lots. Wheat and oats 

 were fed in the middle of the forenoon on alternate days, and late in 

 the afternoon wheat. One lot received sunflower seed in the place of 

 wheat in the forenoon, and another lot corn in place of wheat both 

 morning and evening. Cut bones and butchers' scraps were fed three 

 times a week, and in the winter green food in addition. Most of the 

 feeding stuft's wel'e analyzed. The lots with exercise were compelled 

 to scratch for their grain ration, which was scattered in straw. The 

 others were fed from troughs. From these and the earlier tests the 

 author draws a number of deductions, some of which follow: 



"As to the effect of exercise on food consumption, the average . . . for 3 years 

 shows that the pen with 'exercise' consumed 62.4 cts. worth of food, and the pen 

 'without exercise' 60.8. In the case of 2 other pens the average was 63.5 cts. and 

 62 cts., respectively, per fowl in favor of 'no exercise.' 



"During the year the Leghorns consumed an average of 62 cts. worth of food per 

 fowl. The Wyandottes consumed 81.6 cts. per fowl, and 2 pens of Plymouth 

 Rocks averaged 87.7 cts. per fowl. The Leghorns consumed during the year an 

 average of about 75 lbs. of total food, or about 55 lbs. of dry matter per fowl; the 

 Wyandottes 100 lbs. total food, 73 lbs. dry matter, and the Plymouth Rocks about 

 110 lbs. total food, and about 80 lbs. dry matter. The 3 years' results from Leg- 

 horn pullets show an average of 162 eggs per fowl per year at a food cost of 4.6 cts. 

 per dozen. These results are not from selected or ' i^edigree' layers. 



"The record of weights of fowls shows that Leghorns weigh about 10 per cent 

 more during their second year than during the first year as pullets. During the third 

 year there is practically no increase in weight. 



"The largest egg production was during the period of greatest food consumption. 

 The smallest egg yield was when the food consumption was least. The hens attained 

 their greatest weight immediately preceding the periods of greatest egg production. 

 After the periods of heavy laying they showed a loss in weight. 



"Five pens of Leghorns 2 and 3 years old laid eggs averaging 1.56 lbs. per dozen. 

 Five pens of Leghorn pullets laid eggs averaging 1.37 lbs. per dozen. The eggs from 

 the pen of Wyandotte pullets averaged 1.56 lbs. per dozen, and those laid by 4 pens 

 of Plymouth Rock pullets averaged 1.52 lbs. per dozen. Eggs from different hens 

 of the same breed varied in weight. The eggs from 5 pens of Leghorn pullets 

 averaged 1.44 lbs. per dozen. Tlie eggs from the same pens during the second year 

 averaged 1.54 lbs. per dozen. In other words, the size of the eggs was 8 per cent 

 greater the second year than the first. 



"A test of wheat v. corn gave results in favor of wheat for egg jDroduction. In 

 the case of Leghorn pullets the addition of dried blood to the ration considerably 

 increased the egg yield. With Plymouth Rock pullets no effect was noticed on the 

 yearly record. With both, the pens having dried l)lood l>egan laying earlier than 

 the others. The discarding of corn (except the little used in the mash) and substi- 

 tuting a small quantity of sunflower seed did not materially affect the egg yield, 

 there being but a slight increase. Owing to the greater cost of the sunflower seed, 

 the financial results were in favor of the corn. The results of a test with Leghorn 

 pullets showed that a nutritive ratio of 1:4.95 was much superior to one of 1:6.66. 

 With Plymouth Rocks the results were inconclusive." 



15440— No. 7 6 



