1894.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 83 



Summary. 



Lot L, narrow ration, 1 : 4.5. 



Lot II., wider ration, 1 : 5.5. 



Length of experiment, 88 days. 



In answer to question I. viz., the economy of feeding 

 rations with a nutritive ratio of l:h.b vs. one with a nutri- 

 tive ratio of 1 : 4,5, the experiment gives the following: — 



1. The a;ain in live weio-ht is somewhat in favor of Lot I., 

 to which more protein was fed. 



2. The total cost of producing one pound of live weight 

 with Lot I. was 7.53 cents and with Lot II. 7.42 cents, 

 while the net cost with Lot I. was 3.25 cents, a little lower 

 than with Lot II., which was 3.48 cents, 



3. The results of the experiment are practically identical 

 in case of both lots. Had sheep No. 6 been in good health 

 during December, and made the same relative gain as No. 4 

 and No. 5, the results would have been rather in favor of 

 Lot II. 



4. Sheep Nos. 4 and 5 were not slaughtered. Sheep No. 3 

 was the fattest. No. G next, then came No. 1 and lastly No. 2. 

 These results give no positive information, but would indi- 

 cate in this case that the constitutional tendency of the ani- 

 mal, rather than the feed consumed, governed the amount 

 of fat and flesh produced. 



The Situation Briefly Stated. 



This experiment would indicate, and it is borne out by 

 the majority of other experiments made with reference to 

 this point, that for the production of lean and fat in case of 

 growing animals a ratio of 1 : 5 to 1:5.5 is about as eco- 

 nomical a one as can be fed. 



In order to get more definite light upon this matter, one 

 nuist await the results of the carefully conducted experi- 

 ments with the so-called respiration apparatus now in prog- 

 ress, or a large number of animals must be experimented 

 with, and the average results taken. 



It is certainly true that the constitution of the animal, no 

 less than the quantity and proportion in which the different 

 food components are fed, exerts a decided influence upon the 

 production of both lean meat and fat. Experiments, there- 



