FATTENING STEERS, ETC. 131 



Total gain 737^ Jbs. 



Gain per head 35.12 " 



Gain per day, per head 1.06 " 



Greatest gain per day, No. 4 3 " 



The gain in weight, however satisfactory under the 

 circumstances, does not convey an accurate idea of their 

 real improvement. It is a well-known fact that there is 

 a much larger proportion of water in a poor animal than 

 in a fat one. The first change which takes place when 

 fattening begins is a decrease in the amount of water 

 contained in the tissues of the animal ; and the increase 

 in fat, however considerable, does not always make up 

 for this loss of weight. 



It is the opinion of all who inspected the above ani- 

 mals at the beginning of the experiment, as well as since 

 Nov. 15, that the increase in weight does not equal the 

 improvement in the quality of the beef. It should also 

 be borne in mind that the season is the most unfavor- 

 able for gain, being at the commencement of cold 

 weather, "between hay and grass," when cattle 

 generally shrink in weight. 



I am feeding my store hogs upon about 10 pounds of 

 Ensilage and one pound of wheat-bran to each animal 

 weighing over 250 pounds. They are doing well, and the 

 cost does not exceed two cents per day. Clover pre- 

 served by Ensilage would be excellent, and require no 

 grain added to it. Young pigs are exceedingly fond of 

 the Ensilage. 



I feed it occasionally to my work and driving horses. 

 It has as good an effect as an occasional feed of carrots 

 or other roots. 



In taking the Ensilage out of the Silo, much labor will 

 be saved by taking it out in vertical slices from the top 

 down to the bottom of the door, removing the weights and 



