380 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



Stock Feeding," Prof. H. K. Smith states, that in six dif- 

 ferent trials made with cattle, each 100 pounds of increase 

 made during the first 12 months cost $3.45, during the 

 second 12, $7.42, and during the third 12, $11.50. At the 

 Kansas experiment station it was found that steers which 

 were being fattened consumed 730 pounds of grain for 

 every 100 pounds of increase made during the first 56 days 

 of feeding. During the entire period of feeding which 

 covered 182 days, they consumed 1,000 pounds of the same, 

 which was an increase of practically 37 per cent. The 

 testimony of other experiments is in keeping with the above. 



The average results from several trials in feeding 

 lambs which weighed approximately 75 pounds when put 

 on feed, show that to make 100 pounds of increase calls 

 for approximately 500 pounds of grain and 400 pounds of 

 hay. To make similar increase with shearlings it has been 

 found that from 25 to 45 per cent more food was required. 

 Similar is the trend of testimony of the American Fat stock 

 shows. Unfortunately, however, some of the testimonies 

 from these must be accepted with much caution, as for in- 

 stance the statement that in 1881, a Southdown lamb shown 

 weighed 213 pounds at the age of 213 days, which means 

 that up to that age it had made a daily gain of 0.9 pound. 



In Denmark many experiments have been conducted 

 by the Copenhagen station which throw light upon the 

 relative amounts of grain or its equivalent, consumed by 

 swine of different ages in order to make 100 pounds of in- 

 crease. A large number of animals was included in these 

 experiments. The results showed that pigs weighing 35 

 to 75 pounds consumed 376 pounds of such food when 

 making 100 pounds of gain, while pigs weighing 195 to 

 235 pounds consumed 543 pounds to make the same. The 

 average results from a number of experiments .conducted 

 in America show that with swine not more than 50 pounds 

 in weight, 100 pounds of increase may be made from each 

 300 pounds of grain and grain equivalents fed, while with 

 pigs from 200 to 250 pounds, about 500 pounds of the same 

 were required to make similar increase. 



