122 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



The results of our experiments in this connection are, as 

 may he noticed from preceding reports, rather more in- 

 structive than remunerative. A market cost of 3| cents per 

 pound of live weight in cases of yearlings, with 3| cents per 

 pound of live weight in cases of matured steers, leaves, it 

 will be conceded, but a small margin of cash profits. The 

 largest daily increase in live weight, in case of any diet thus 

 far experimented with, was 0.46 pounds per one hundred 

 pounds of live weight, with yearlings weighing from 650 to 

 700 pounds per head ; while in case of two-year-old steers, 

 weighing from 1,100 to 1,150 pounds per head, it reached 

 but 0.3 pounds for every one hundred pounds of their live 

 weight. The highest daily increase in live weight during 

 any feeding period in case of yearlings thus far secured by 

 us amounted to 2.9 pounds per head, and in case of two- 

 year-olds to 3.4 pounds per head. These results represent 

 a market value of live weight gained at aljove-stated local 

 meat market prices of 10.87 cents in case of yearlings, and 

 12.55 cents in case of two-year-old steers. Our results fall 

 behind daily, thus far, al)0ut one pound of gain in live 

 weiofht to cover the market cost of the feed consumed for its 

 production; 14 to 15 cents in case of yearlings, 18 to 19 

 cents in case of two-year-old steers. 



The necessity of efficient and cheap fodder rations l)eing 

 quite evident, it seems desirable to try, more generally, fodder 

 crops of a higher nutritive character than the majority of our 

 meadows and pastures furnishes at present. 



