FOODS ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 779 



which go^'ern stock feeding in Florida are described, the general prin- 

 ciples of feeding discussed, and feeding tests reported with steers and 

 pigs and on the digestibility of cassava by a steer. Some Florida 

 feeding stuffs were compared with 3 lots of local range steers and 1 

 lot of 3 grade steers. Lots 1 and 4, the latter being grade steers, 

 were fed hay, cotton-seed meal, and cassava, about in the proportion 

 of 2:1:7, the ration containing 36 lbs. of cassava per thousand 

 pounds live weight. Lot 2 was fed cotton-seed hulls and meal, 5:1, 

 while lot 3 was fed hay (either pea vine, or a mixture of crabgrass, 

 beggar weed, and cowpea), cotton-seed hulls, wheat bran, and corn 

 meal 3:7:8:7. In 70 da3^s the average dail}^ gains made by the 4 lots 

 were, 2.43, 2.41, 1.95, and 1.83 lbs., respectively. The steers were 

 slaughtered, the dressed weight of the 4 lots being 56.23, 64.55, 54.31, 

 and 55.78 per cent, respectively, of the live weight, the hind quarters 

 constituting in the several cases, 46.36, 49.39, 48.10, and 46.78 per 

 cent of the total dressed weight. It is said that the beef was con- 

 sidered excellent in a local market where it was sold. The profits per 

 lot were $28.75, $23.81, $11.57, and $25.41, respectively. 



The authors point out that the greatest gains were made on the 

 rations containing cassava, and that the native grade steers made 

 greater gains than grade animals, although the latter furnished the 

 largest proportion of hind quarters and the heaviest net weight. 



In the feeding test Avith pigs 4 lots (1 lot containing 1 animal, the 

 others 4 each), of Florida razor-back pigs, and 1 lot of 4 crossbred 

 animals were used. Lots 1 and 2 (the former being the crossbred 

 pigs) were fed cassava, wheat middlings, and cowpeas, 4:2:1.5; lot 3, 

 corn and wheat middlings, 2:3; lot 4, sweet potatoes and wheat mid- 

 lings, 1:1, while lot 5 was fed corn only. All the pigs weighed not 

 far from 100 lbs. each at the beginning of the test and in 45 days 

 the total gain per pig in the 5 lots was, 72.8, 32.5, 40, 31.6, and 25.9 

 per cent, respective^ ; the cost of the gains in the several cases being, 

 lot 1, 2.9; lot 2, 3.1; lots 3 and 4, 5.6 each, and lot 5, 7 cts. The 

 dressed weight ranged from 65.63 per cent of the live weight in the 

 case of lot 5 to 77.53 per cent in the case of lot 1. According to the 

 author, although the results were favorable for fattening razor-back 

 pigs, yet greater gains were made by the blooded pigs. Corn was 

 regarded as a good feeding stuff, but was most satisfactory^ when 

 given in combination with other feeds. 



The digestibility of cassava was tested with a steer on a ration made 

 up of this material, cotton-seed hulls, and cotton-seed meal, about in 

 the proportion of 12:5:1. The usual methods were followed. From 

 the digestibilit}' of the ration as a whole the digestibility of cassava 

 alone was calculated to be as follows: Dr}^ matter 52.12, protein 

 24.06, fat 59.28, nitrogen free extract 55.47, crude fiber 79.87, and 

 ash 64. 96 per cent. 



