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III. 



THE APPLICATION OF THE FOOD-UNIT METHOD TO THE 

 FATTENING OF CATTLE. 



By JAMES WILSON, M.A., B.Sc, 

 Professor of Agriculture in the Eoyal College of Science, Dublin. 



(Plates III., IV.) 



Kead January 27. Published Fubudaky 20, 1920. 



DuKiNG the last thirty years the Danes and Swedes have greatly advanced 

 our knowledge of tlie use of feeding-stuffs for certain kinds of live-stock. 

 They have worked chiefly at two sides of the problem, namely, at determin- 

 ing (1) the relative feeding values of the usual feeding stuffs, and (2) the 

 quantity of food required, during all stages of lactation and non-lactation, by 

 cows of different sizes and nrilk-yielding capacities. Under the first head, 

 they have found that, when they form a fair — i.e., not extreme — proportion of 

 the total ration, 2-5 lbs. of meadow hay, 4 lbs. of oat straw, 10 lbs. of mangels, 

 and 12 lb. of oats have, on the average, the same feeding value as a pound of 

 barley. Then, if a pound of barley be taken as the food-unit,' it can be said 

 that 2'51bs. of meadow hay, 4 lbs. of oat straw, 10 lbs. of mangels, and 1'2 lb. 

 of oats each contain a food-unit. And, if a cow consume 20 lbs. of meadow 

 hay, 80 lbs. of mangels, and 6 lbs. of oats, it can be said that she consumes 21 

 food-units :— 20 ^ 2-5 + 80 ^ 10 + 6 ^ 1-2 = 8 + 8 + 5 = 21. 



Under the second head, they have found that cows' needs vary wilh their 

 weight, advance in pregnancy, and milk yield. The food-units necessary to 

 maintain barren cows or heifers of different weight, or a bullock, for that 

 matter, in constant condition — i.e., becoming neither fatter nor leaner — are 

 approximately as follows : — 



Live Weiglits. Food Units. 



7 cwts. 5'5 



8 „ 6-25 



9 , 7 



10 „ 7-75 



11 „ 8-5 



Shortly after becoming in calf, the cow's needs increase till just upon 

 calving time, when, for all weights alike, three more units are necessary. After 

 calving, another half unit is necessary for the first ten pounds, and thereafter 



' The Swedes take a kilogramme of barley as the unit. 



JSCIENT. PROC. R.D.S., VOL XVI, NO. III. D 



