PRICKLY PEAR AS STOCK PEED. — SMITH. b 



Table 6. — ^Variation in Consumption with Alteration in Water 



Content. 



With diminution in water content of pricMy pear the amounts 

 consumed are progressively diminished, but the amounts of dry- 

 matter ingested and nutrients utilised are slightly increased. 

 The indication is that somewhat fuller employment of prickly 

 pear will be made when the water content is below that of the 

 highest succulence. Probably an upper limit would be reached, 

 after which loss of succulence would render the plant less 

 palatable to cattle. 



Effect of Watering Cattle on Consumption of PricMy Pear. — 

 Six of the steers were each given water on thirty consecutive 

 days in the second maintenance trials. The giving of water had 

 little effect on the appetite of the animals for prickly pear. Thus 

 the average consumption during the days on which water was 

 given was 6-02 starch equivalent, on the other days 6-42 

 starch equivalent. The remaining steers during the periods 

 for which the comparison was made ate 6-33 and 6-35 starch 

 equivalent of prickly pear. 



Attempted Improvement of Palatabiliiy of Pricldy Pear. — 

 No method of feeding prickly pear — as feeding after boihng the 

 joints, after singeing or roasting, or feeding salted or admixed 

 with palatable meals — was found to increase the amounts eaten 

 by the steers. 



The Water Requirement of Prickly Pear Fed Steers and 

 THE Effect of Watering. 



The water supplied by the succulent prickly pear was 

 evidently sufficient for the steers in the winter season. During 

 the first maintenance trials and thereafter for a total of 150 

 days, the animals had no other water supply than that furnished 

 by the pear. In warmer weather during the second trials it 



