346 The Feeding of Animals 



1st Expt. 2d Expt. 



Number of animals 5 3 



Days fed 182 129 



Weight per animal, average for period 1,412 lbs. 1,237 lbs. 



Hay eaten per day 7.8 " 6.7 " 



Grain eaten per day 23.9 " 23. " 



Daily gain per animal » 2.39" 2.4 " 



Digestible organic matter daily per animal 19.5 " 19. " 



Digestible organic matter per 1,000 lbs. live weight 13.8 " 15.3 " 



In 1895-6 the Iowa Agricultural College fed steer 

 calves for fourteen months, during ten of which a 

 record was kept of all the food consumed. During the 

 second period the steers were fattened for market. 

 This particular experiment is cited because the animals 

 were young and all the conditions were favorable to 

 the maximum consumption of food in proportion to 

 live weight: 



1st period 2d period 



Number of animals 5 5 



Days fed. 120 181 



Age of steers at beginning 9 to 10 mos. IG to 17 mos. 



Weight per animal, average for period 766 lbs. 1,197 lbs. 



Coarse food eaten daily (partly roots and green fodder). 11 " 12.8 ■" 



Grain eaten daily (partly snapped corn) 9 " 19.5 " 



Daily gain per animal 2.04 lbs. 2.11 lbs. 



Gain per 1,000 lbs. live weight 2.66 " 1.76 " 



Digestible organic matter daily per animal 10. " 14.1 



Digestible organic matter daily per 1,000 lbs. live weight. 13. " 11.8 



The largest amount of digestible nutrients fed daily 

 per animal at any time during this experiment was 

 about 17.5 lbs., after the animals had reached an 

 average weight of 1,200 lbs. or over. This would be 

 approximately 14.5 lbs. digestible organic matter per 

 1,000 pounds live weight. 



These two experiments are instances of successful 

 feeding where the increase was rapid and very satis- 



