are profitable for milk production, with a result, generally, to the 

 discredit of the dual purpose type, and, on the other hand, the fact 

 has been apparently overlooked that the Holstein is a most profit- 

 able breed for beef. 



According to the results of the tests reported in the Michigan 

 Experiment Station Bulletin No. 257, the Holsteins make much 

 larger daily gains and at a less cost per pound than any of the 

 leading beef breeds. In the first test, seven Holstein calves 

 averaged 714 Ibs. apiece at one year of age, at a cost of $3.76 per 

 cwt., and two Shorthorn calves averaged 571 Ibs. at a cost of $4.82 

 per cwt. In the second test, six Holstein calves averaged 773 

 Ibs. at a cost of $3.97 per cwt., and six Shorthorns averaged 706.1 

 Ibs. at a cost of $5.16 per cwt. Another group of ten Shorthorns 

 averaged 643 Ibs. at a cost of $4.32 per cwt., a group of ten Angus 

 averaged 682 Ibs. at a cost of $4.97 per cwt., and a group of ten 

 Herefords averaged 629 Ibs. at a cost of $4.20 per cwt. 



The Iowa Experiment Station reports, in Bulletin No. 81, a test 

 with the following results : 



Hereford Angus Holstein Jersey 



Weight at beginning, 683 685 526 622 



Average gain per steer, 644 . 568 677 518 



Amount of Grain per Ib. gain, 8.76 9.18 8.21 9.24 



Amount of Roughage per Ib. gain, 3.71 4.13 3.59 4.35 



Average cost per Ib. gain, $.076 $.0802 $.0712 $.0812 



Per cent of dressed weight , 60.8 62.8 58.9 55.4 



Per cent of Loin, 17.59 17.56 17.59 16.58 



Tallow, Ibs., 88. 64.5 56.2 113.2 



The Holstein thus made a larger average gain per steer and at a 

 less cost per pound of either roughage or grain than any of the 

 other breeds. The percentage of dressed weight was 3j^ per cent 

 above that of the Jersey and less than 3 per cent below the average 

 of the two beef breeds, but the Holstein ranked ahead in respect 

 to the percentage of loin, the highest priced beef cut. The 

 Holstein also produced the smallest percentage of tallow, showing 

 that the breed does not carry an excess of cheap fat, which is 

 characteristic of scrub steers. The Holstein steers made an 

 average of $14.87 net profit to the wholesaler, while the Angus 

 averaged but $9.25 and the Hereford but $5.13 net profit. This 

 wonderful showing by the Holstein steers was made in spite of the 

 fact that the steers chosen were not fair representatives of that 

 breed and that they were fed for too long a period, in the case of 

 dairy steers. 



The Station states that "Kidney fat is a cheap product and, 

 while it counts in dressing per cent, it only serves to reduce the 

 value of the carcass, where it is present in excess. Reference to 

 the tables show that No. 3, a Jersey, possessed 21 Ibs. of this cheap 

 product, while No. 7, an Angus, had but 11.5. Ibs., despite his 

 greater weight. This confirms the contention often made that 

 steers of dairy type carry an unnecessary amount of waste fat." 



