162 



THE STOCKFEEDER'S COMPANION 



In the Irish Department of Agriculture's winter and 

 summer calf-rearing scheme it was shown that the 

 autumn- and winter-born calves generally gave better 

 results for the feeding than those born in spring. 

 Take for example the following figures from vol. ix., 

 No. 4, of the Department's Journal (1909), pp. 697-9, 

 and reported on by Mr J. M. Adams, the Instructor in 

 Agriculture : 



When the value of the calves was taken into 

 account as well as cost of food, including grazing, 

 attendance, insurance, and interest on capital, there was 

 an average profit on the November calves of 93. id. 

 per head, while in the case of the April calves there was 

 an average loss of i6s. 5d. In a similar trial carried 

 out at Kinsale, and reported on by Mr W. F. Prender- 

 gast, the County Instructor in Agriculture, very similar 

 results were obtained ; but the average loss on summer 

 calves was reduced to is. 7^d. per head. There was 

 also a bigger mortality in calves born in summer 

 (9 per 100) when compared with those born in winter 

 (05 per 100). 



Turning out to Grass. 



Calves which are born in the earlier months of the 

 year should in most cases be turned out to grass in 



