THE EXPERIMENT STATION 77 



matter in the feed, gain in live weight, shrinkage in 

 dressing, the amount of dry matter required to pro- 

 duce a pound of dressed weight, and the food-cost of a 

 pound of live and dressed weight. The results of these 

 various experiments with 140 pigs, and a number of 

 later ones made by the writer, have been summarized 

 by him in the Eleventh Report of the Hatch Experiment 

 Station, pages 36-42. 



V. Feeding experiments with steers (1889-1894). 



Professor Goessmann undertook a series of experi- 

 ments with grade Shorthorn steers to ascertain (a) the 

 most suitable fodder rations; (b) the cost of beef pro- 

 duction in New England; (c) the average daily gain in 

 live weight; and (d) to compare the relative merits of 

 summer soiling versus pasture. 



The steers were, in some cases, sent to what was 

 termed good pasture, and in other cases, soiled. Dur- 

 ing the seven autumn, winter, and spring months they 

 were fed on corn fodder, corn silage, hay, and a variety 

 of grains and by-products. In the writer's judgment 

 the steers were not ideal ones for beef-production, al- 

 though they were the best that could be found in the 

 local markets. Well-bred blocky steers probably would 

 have given rather better returns for the food con- 

 sumed. 



The results of these experiments are briefly stated : 



(a) The most economical coarse fodders consisted 

 of corn fodder, corn silage, some corn stover, and mini- 

 mum amounts of hay. The grains used at different 

 times were wheat bran, cottonseed meal, gluten meal, 



