48 



CATTLE AND ' DAIRY ' FARMING, 



FEEDING CATTLE OX TURNIPS. 



The following are the results of an interesting experiment made by Mr. Robert 

 Logan, Birkenside, Earlston, with the view of testing the comparative merits of sliced 

 and pulped turnips as a feed for cattle : On tie llth of October, 1882, three Canadian 

 bullocks, live weight '32 cwt., 3 quarters, were bought for 64 5 a., or 39s. 2$d. per cwt., 

 live weight. On February C, 1883, the same animals were sold at Haymarket, Edin- 

 burgh, live weight 43 cwt., 14 pounds, for 105, or 48s. 8d. per cwt., live weight. 

 The gain in weight was 10 cwt., 1 quarter, 14 pounds ; in money, 40 15s. These bull- 

 ocks were fed on sliced turnips, of which they consumed 218 pounds per 24 hours. 

 On October 11, 1882, a second' lot of three Canadian bullocks, live weight, 31 cwt., 

 2 quarters, were bought for 61 los., or 39s. 2$d. per cwt., live weight. On February 

 6. 1883, these were sold at Haymarket, live weight, 39 cwt., 2 quarters, 11 pounds, for 

 101, or 51s., per cwt., live weight, the gain in weight having been 8 cwt., 11 pounds; 

 in money, 35 5s. These bullocks were fed on pulped turnips, of which they con- 

 sumed 162 pounds per twenty-four hours. Lot 1 when slaughtered yielded 60 per 

 cent, on gross live weight ; lot 2 when slaughtered yielded 61 per cent, on gross live 

 weight. Both lots were valued at the same price per cwt., according to their live 

 weight on October 11. When sold according to live weight those fed on pulp made 

 2s. 4<Z. per cwt. more, and yielded one per cent, more beef. In addition to the weight 

 of turnips given, as above stated, each lot were fed with the same proportion of hay ; 

 those fed on sliced turnips feeding it, in the ordinary way, from hecks j those fed on 

 pulped turnips having it cut amongst the turnips. In addition each animal had 9 

 pounds of mixed cakes and bruised barley. The whole were fed in single boxes. Lot 

 No. 1 made 10s. per head more than No. 2. The former, however, consumed 56 pounds 

 more turnips per day than No. 2. The expense of pulping is slightly higher than 

 slice feeding, but the value, per live weight and yield of beef, according to the same, 

 favors pulp. 



FOOD OF PREGNANT ANIMALS. 



The food of pregnant animals is an important'consideration. Creatures in this con- 

 dition should be well fed, and especially if they have to acccomplish a certain amount 

 of labor or yield milk. The appetite is generally increased, and there is a tendency 

 to fatten. This tendency should be somewhat guarded against, as it may prove 

 troublesome, particularly if allowed to proceed to an extreme degree, when it may 

 retard the development of the foetus, induce abortion, cause difficult parturition, or 

 give rise to serious after consequences. Thia precaution is more to be observed in the 

 second than the first half of pregnacy, when the food should be plentiful, but not in 

 excess, and flesh more abundant in the animal than fat. The food should also be of 

 good quality, very nutritive, easy of digestion, and not likely to induce constipation. 

 Indigestion should be carefully guarded against, and unaccustomed, hard, damp, bulky, 

 fermentable, moldy, or otherwise hurtfully altered food, should be avoided, as it is 

 likely to prove indigestible, occasion tympanitis, and produce other injurious results. 

 Fleming's Veterinary Obstetrics. 



FEEDING OF DAIRY COWS. 



The honorable secretary of the Munster Dairy School, Cork, writing to a contem- 

 porary, says : There are sixteen cows in milk, calved three and four months. They 

 were getting each daily from 5 to 7 pounds, according to yield, of folio wing mixture: 

 Decorticated cake, bran, and Indian corn meal, with four stone of mangels and hay. 

 The return not proving satisfactory, I proposed the dietary should bo as follows: 2 

 pounds bean meal, 2 pounds crushed oats, 3 pounds decorticated cake, 3 stone man- 

 gels. This feeding was commenced on March 10. On March 23 the cows had to get 

 fan-saved hay (musty). Note the result : 



Percentage of fat by lactobutyrometer : March 9, 2.56 ; March 29, 2.7. 



These returns were carefully and accurately kept by Mr. Smith, the superintendent. 



