82 ANIs^UAL EEPOKTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGFJ CULTURE. 



BEEF-CATTLE EXTENSION. 



Beef-cattle extension work was an important part of the move- 

 ment to increase production. The extension specialists ^Yo^ked in 

 all sections of the country, but much of the work was done in regions 

 where the beef-cattle industry is practically new. The States in- 

 cluded were Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, 

 North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, 

 Texas, New Mexico, and Virginia. The work Avas done in coopera- 

 tion with the State agricultural colleges through their extension 

 divisions, and particularly with the county agricultural agents. 



The elimination of scrub bulls and replacing them with purebreds 

 was advocated. The specialists placed a total of 1,408 purebred bulls, 

 1,981 purebred cows, and 11,291 grade cattle, in addition to approxi- 

 mately 150,000 head of cows and steers brought in from the clrought 

 area in the southwest. Many sales were conducted under the direct 

 supervision of the beef-cattle specialists. The cattle for these sales 

 were usually inspected and the undesirable ones eliminated. Fift}'- 

 nine live-stock breeders' associations, with a reported membership of 

 1,524, were organized. Numerous calf clubs were organized among 

 the boys and girls. The specialists held 464 meetings at which they 

 addressed 23,633 people in the interest of better live stock. They also 

 did some useful work in demonstrating the vahie of pasture and 

 in giving advice on the growing of winter feeds and the planning of 

 winter rations. 



Beef-production demonstrations. Three hundred and seven dem- 

 onstrations of various kinds were conducted to show the most ap- 

 proved methods and practices in beef production, including feeding, 

 judging, dehorning, fitting animals for shows and sales, and other 

 subjects. Thirty-nine herdsmen's courses were given. Each spe- 

 cialist conducted a number of steer-fattening demonstrations. One 

 of these, on a Georgia farm, was of special interest because the 

 cattle had been shipped from the drought-stricken area of Texas. 

 Ninety-two head averaging 700 pounds were fed for a period of 101 

 days and made an average daily gain of 2.57 pounds. They cost 

 $10.50 per hundredweight and sold for $12.50 per hundredweight. 

 With this margin there was an average profit per steer of $16.32. 

 The feed cost per 100 pounds of gain was $11.31. 



SWINE INVESTIGATIONS. 



Twenty-three purebred sows of six breeds and four purebred boars 

 of four breeds were bought for the Beltsville farm. Sows saved for 

 breeding purposes from those raised on the farm increased the num- 

 ber of brood sows in the herd to 38. 



Experiments were conducted to determine the value of soaked 

 whole and ground velvet beans when fed to hogs. Four lots of 10 

 pigs each were carried from August 2 to November 5 on the following 

 rations: (1) Shelled corn and fish meal; (2) soaked whole velvet 

 beans and shelled corn; (3) soaked ground velvet beans; (4) soaked 

 ground velvet beans, shelled corn, and fish meal. The results showed 

 average daily gains in weight of 1.277, 0.586, 0.417, and 1.115 pounds, 

 respectively, at feed costs of 13, 18.3, 23, and 14.3 cents j)er pound ot' 

 gain. 



