General Problems in Beef Production. 



327 



511. Water drank. — Georgeson of the Kansas Station^ kept a 

 record of the water drank by fattening steers in winter with the fol- 

 lowing results: 



We note that on the carbohydrate-rich ration of corn and corn 

 fodder the steers drank but 1.8 lbs. of water for each pound of feed 

 eaten, while on the highly nitrogenous ration of oil cake and hay 

 they drank 3.4 lbs,, or nearly twice as much. (87) 



512. Variations in weight. — Fattening steers show surprising va- 

 riations in weight from day to day, and even from week to week. 

 Much data could be given on this point, but the following from one 

 of Georgeson 's experiments at the Kansas Station- will suffice: 



These variations, which are not extraordinary, show how difficult 

 it is to know the true weight of a steer at any given time. Experi- 

 ment stations now quite generally weigh the steer for 3 successive 

 days, taking the average as the true weight of the steer on the sec- 

 ond day. It has been suggested that the variations follow somewhat 



Bui. 39. 



"- Bui. 34. 



