BULLETIN 631, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTTJEE. 



roughages, hay and hulls. The grain part of the rations was limited 

 in every case to a definite and rather small amount. But Table 2 

 shows that satisfactory gains were obtained, and Table 3 shows that 

 the cost to make 100 pounds of gain was not excessive, although the 

 feeds used were all expensive ones. In fact, the gains were made 

 cheaply in every case, much more cheaply than can be made with 

 older animals, the cost per hundred pounds ranging from $5.14 to 

 $6.43. In the previous winter's work it cost from $6.19 to $6.83 to 

 make 100 pounds of increase in weight where the same kind of 

 calves were used and the same kind of feeds employed, yet in refer- 

 ring to the cheapness of gains of the calves the authors stated that — 



The gains were made cheaply. This was due to several factors. First, the 

 calves were young and growing, and young animals of all kinds can be made 

 to increase in weight more economically than old ones. Second, the calves 

 were very thrifty, and so made good use of the feed that they ate. Third, all 

 of the rations were extremely palatable, especially the two which had the 

 corn-and-cob meal mixed with the cottonseed meal. A young animal of any 

 kind will not make satisfactory gains on an unpalatable ration. Fourth, the 

 calves had comfortable quarters and were fed and watered regularly. 



Table 3.- 



-Quantity and cost of feed required to make 100 pounds of gain 

 (Nov. 11, 1911, to Mar. 3, 1912, 101 days). 



Lot 

 No. 



Ration. 



Total 

 amount 



of feed 

 eaten by 

 each calf. 



Pounds 

 of feed 

 to make 



100 

 pounds 

 of gain. 



Cost of 

 feed to 

 make 100 

 pounds 

 of gain. 



[Cottonseed meal 



<Cottonseed hulls 



I Mixed alfalfa hay 



I Cottonseed meal, two-thirds . . 

 Corn-and-cob meal, one-third. 

 Cottonseed hulls 

 Mixed alfalfa hay 



(Cottonseed meal, one-third 

 Com-and-cob meal, two-thirds 

 Cottonseed hulls 

 Mixed alfalfa hav 



Pounds. 

 279 



1,098 

 482 

 215 

 107 



1,058 

 445 

 130 

 260 



1,023 

 423 



Pounds. 

 134 

 528 

 222 

 115 



58 

 566 

 238 



77 

 154 

 602 

 255 



So. 14 



6.43 



The calves in lot 1, where cottonseed meal, hulls, and mixed hay 

 were used, made the cheapest gains, each 100 pounds of gain in the 

 lot, costing only $5.14, whereas an equal amount of increase in weight 

 in lots 2 and 3. where corn-and-cob meal constituted a part of the 

 ration, cost $5.72 and $6.43, respectively. In this test the corn-and- 

 cob meal did not cheapen the ration in either case. In the test pre- 

 viously reported, the introduction of a small amount of corn-and-cob 

 meal did decrease the cost a few cents, but where the larger propor- 

 tion of corn-and-cob meal was employed it cost more to make 100 

 pounds of gain than in the lot where cottonseed meal was the sole 

 concentrated feed. Lot 3 in both experiments showed up to a con- 

 siderable disadvantage. When the two tests are considered together, 

 sufficient evidence is at hand to show conclusively that it does not 



