Feeding Tests with Fish Meals 



By 



J. H. GRISDALE, B. AGR., 

 Director, Experimental Farms, Ottawa. 



Fish meals for cattle and swine made at the experimental plant at 

 Port Dover were sent to the Experimental Farm, at Ottawa, some months 

 after the regular winter feeding experimental work had commenced. As 

 nearly all available animals had been on some experimental feeds or 

 treatment, they had thus acquired a lack of equality which prohibited the 

 taking over of this experimental work and starting them immediately 

 on fish meal, or on any other form of meal. For this reason, only a 

 very limited number of animals could be selected to test the fish meals 

 and the results of these tests were consequently of comparatively little 

 value. 



Five pure bred Ayrshire cows were selected for the testing of the 

 dairy feed. These cows were all milking exceptionally well on the 

 following rations : Clover hay, corn ensilage, mangels and meal composed 

 of bran 4 parts, gluten 2 parts, dried distillers grains 2 parts, oil cake 1 

 part. The intention of this trial was to gradually accustom these 

 animals to fish meal mixed with their regular meal ration and as soon as 

 they acquired this taste, to replace gluten and oil cake with the fish 

 meal for three weeks and then to revert to the original ration. The 

 results were to be compiled from the last two weeks of each of the three 

 periods of feeding. Although the cows were given a very small quantity 

 of this fish meal each day for over two weeks, they persisted in refusing 

 their grain altogether or picked out only the part which contained the 

 least portion of this meal. Since these cows were both losing weight and 

 decreasing in milk production, we finally cut them off this test. Un- 

 doubtedly, the cows could have been starved to a ration containing fish 

 meal, but this was certainly not practicable. 



The test of the fish meals for hogs was conducted under the same 

 unfavourable circumstances as to animals available. However, two 

 small lots of Berkshires were available for this work. One lot was fed 

 the standard ration composed of shorts and corn, equal parts, plus 10 

 per cent, of fish meal ; while the second lot had the same rations with an 

 additional allowance of skim milk. Unfortunately, these two lots were 

 not of exactly the same age, hence definite deductions could not be drawn. 



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