56 



Calf-rearing Experiment. 



The following table gives the results in comparative form :- 



From this table it will be seen that the crushed oats gave the 

 highest gain in live-weight and at the lowest cost per lb. of 

 increase. The next highest gain was with whole milk, but the 

 cost, it will be noticed, was much increased. Between the 

 other feedings there was not much to choose. 



It should be here mentioned, that, with the exception of 

 one animal in Lot 3 (gruel) which took to scouring and had 

 eventually to be left out of the experiment, all the calves 

 remained perfectly well during the preliminary and special 

 feeding. 



The calves, as they finished their nine weeks' special feeding, 

 and now being twelve weeks old, were turned out into the 

 yard and all fed alike with separated milk, a little linseed cake 

 and crushed oats. On July 14, milk was given up, and on 

 July 18, the calves were all turned out to run in the fields, 

 being given linseed cake, crushed oats and hay. On Septem- 

 ber 1, one calf — from the crushed oats lot — was found to be ill 

 and dying, the case, untortunatelj', proving to be one of anthrax. 

 None of the other animals were, however, attacked. On Sep- 

 tember 17 (after 91 days further feeding) the calves wei-e again 

 weighed. On September 23 all were castrated,' and then fed 

 on throughout the winter, being out in the fields in daytime 

 and coming into the yard at night, where they had linseed cake 

 with a little cotton cake, hay and sliced roots. On February- 5, 

 1913, having completed twenty weeks since the last time of 

 weighing, the bullocks were again weighed. 



They were run out on the pastures during the spring, 

 summer, and early autumn of 1913, and were again weighed on 

 November 6, 1913, when they were once more put up in the 

 yards for fattening oft". 



For the entire period from the close of the nine weeks of 

 special feeding the animals were all treated exactly alike, and 

 received the same foods : consequently such diff'erences as were 

 observal)le may fairly be put down mainly as the result of the 

 early feeding. 



* This operation had been purposely delayed in order not to interfere 

 with the experiment in its earlier stages. 



