18 DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



accurate records of the consumption and production of each 

 animal, for, guided by the information so obtained, in 12 years 

 we increased the average yearly returns from our whole herd 

 from $51.22 to $80.27 per cow. 



Beef Cattle. 



In addition to tests of various feeds, the investigations with 

 beef cattle have for the most part taken the form of steer feeding 

 experiments of the following nature: — 



Feeding steers of different ages. 



Limited ration vs. full ration. 



Baby beef (calves full ration vs. limited ration, calves light 

 fed). 



Horned, tied, vs. dehorned, tied. 



Horned, tied, vs. dehorned, loose. 



Crowded vs. roomy. 



Large lots vs. small lots. 



Steers of excellent breeding and conformation vs. steers of 

 medium breeding and conformation. 



From our many years of experience with steers of all descrip- 

 tions, we have learned, above all others, this important point: 

 a poor individual, poorly fed, practically always gives a loss, a 

 good individual, well fed, will almost surely return a fair profit. 

 There are, of course, many factors affecting the final outcome 

 of a pen of steers, but the more rapid the feeding from birth to 

 block, the wider the margin that may be expected. 



Swine. 



Swine in large numbers have always been kept. The stock 

 on hand now includes Yorkshires, Berkshires and Tamworths, 

 representatives of which breeds are sold for breeding purposes, 

 to be used in nearly all parts of the Dominion. In the feeding 

 of these we are able to make very profitable use of the skim milk 

 and buttermilk from the dairy. 



Experiments and records with a view to obtaining informa- 

 tion on the following points have been carried out: 



Selection of breeding animals. 



Care and feeding of the brood sow and litter. 



Care and handling of the stock boar. 



Fattening of pigs for market, including investigations into 

 causes of soft pork. 



Summer pastures for growing pigs. 



Winter and summer housing of swine. 



Ventilation of piggeries. 



