74 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



the ends mentioned the steer will bring more and will pass 

 for the finished product at less weight than where crowded 

 through a final fattening period under higli pressure rations. 



The Canadian Experiment Station, personal trials at our 

 State experiment stations and trials with cows at State ex- 

 periment stations have shown that high-pressure rations, 

 while increasing the rate of growth, are accompanied by. an 

 increase of cost faster than the growth increases. The Ver- 

 mont station when corn ensilage is fed finds that after 

 passing 4 pounds of grain daily the cost of milk increases, 

 beginning somewhere between this amount and 8 pounds 

 of grain. With cows I do not find it advantageous to give 

 more than 6 pounds of grain along with 25 to 35 pounds 

 of silage. As the jjroduction of butter fat is fully as exact- 

 ing as the production of flesh the same general truth applies 

 equally to cows. Data so far secured corroborate this 

 conclusion. However, as steers incnease in quality they 

 rise rapidly in value, and possibly warrant more strenuous 

 feeding. 



So far as informed I do not deem it advantageous to pass 

 8 pounds of grain daily unless for a short time at the finish- 

 ing period. . If grain is fed continuously from start to finish, 

 during sunnner and winter, and gain is steady and continu- 

 ous, heav}^ grain rations are not necessary. 



I shall not enter into details of feeding, especially details 

 of methods for the calf, as they are in familiar practice. 

 The aim of this talk is to point out the broader problems 

 of beef raising here. For the calf I would advise the use 

 of a small amount of dried blood, as this material is a most 

 valuable food, and especially so for calves, as it is easily 

 digested and obviates scours, keeping calves in good healthy 

 condition. 



I have said nothing about balanced rations or the nutri- 

 tive ratio, as, too, it is not mj'^ purpose to make the discus- 

 sion exhaustive, nor will time permit. It was my fortune to 

 conduct experiments on the line of German nutritive ratios 

 some years before others entered the field. I am convinced 

 that its importance is over-rated by extremists, and that the 

 better class of feeders, even unaided, unconsciously give 



