drank the gruel readily and although they had some digestive disturbance in 

 the form of scours this was not any more marked, nor as much so as in the 

 case of many of those raised on the different meals. All of them made good 

 growth, notwithstanding the fact that four of them were delicate at birth. 

 The average daily gain was 1.34 pounds and the dry food required for 100 

 pounds of gain was 280 pounds. 



Liquid skim milk and starch. 



In order to check the skim-milk powder against liquid skim milk, a second 

 lot of four calves was fed on a grael prepared in a manner similar to the 

 above except that liquid skim milk was used, the starch and mineral mixture 

 being stii-red into the skim milk which was then heated to about 150° Fahren- 

 heit, not higher. All the calves made very good growth, the average daily 

 gain being 1.35 pounds, and the dry feed required for 100 pounds of gain 

 was 277 pounds, results almost identical with those obtained in feeding the 

 skim-milk powder and starch. This would indicate that skim-milk j)owder 

 can be successfully substit^^ted for the liquid article. 



The question was raised as to whether the calves could readily assimilate 

 the starch added to the skim milk. The good growth secured with both lots 

 of calves (eleven in all) indicates that they were able to utilize it qiiite well. 

 Tests for starch were made on their droppings. In only two instances was 

 any found, and both of these were delicate calves at birth. 



The accompanying table summarizes the results which have been given in 

 detail in the foregoing pages. 



SUMMARY OF GAINS PKODUCF^D ON VARIOUS SKIM-MILK SUBSTITUTES 



^laterial 



Remarks 



♦With skim milk at li/4 cents a quart. 



tWith skim milk at 2 cents a quart. 



{The dry grain fed to these three lots was Meal No. .">, which cost at current prices 

 approximately ?2.50 a hundred. All costs are figured from prices current in September. 

 1924. 



Discussion of the Results. 



In the first place the results of the several trials, as summarized in the pre- 

 ceding table, confirm our previous knowledge relative to the superior value 

 for growth of skim milk for young calves, providing it can be had at a rea- 

 sonable price (1.5-2.5 cents a quart). Even at 1.5 cents a quart, the food 

 cost of growing calves to four months of age is considerably above that of 

 the calf meals; but on the basis of growth produced, the food cost is about 



49 



