5"^ POULTRY FEEDING AND FATTENING 



lot in oach case ivas fed a ration of mixed grains and 

 skimmillv or curd, containing no animal matter, the 

 other ration of mixed grains, with animal meal and 

 fresh bones or dried IjloOd. Tlie two rations were about 

 equally well Ijalaueed, although the "animal matter" 

 ration contained a little less pi'otein than the "vegetable 

 matter" ration. The distinctive difference between the 

 two rations was that in the one case two-fifths to one- 

 half of the protein came from animal sources, while in 

 the other it all came from vegetable sources. Two 

 trials were made with cliickens. 



In each trial more food was eaten by the lot 

 receiving animal protein, the gain in weight was more 

 rapid, maturity was ]-eached earlier, less food was 

 re(piired for eacli pound ot gain, and the cost of gain 

 was less. 



During the first twelve weeks of the first trial 

 (starting with chickens one-half week old) the chicks 

 on animal meal gained llFty-six per cent more than 

 those on the vegetable diet, although they ate only 

 thirtv-six per cent more; tlicy required half a pound 

 less of dry matter to gain one pound, and each pound 

 of gain cost only four and one-quarter cents, as com- 

 ])ai-e(l with five and one-fifth cents for the grain- 

 fed birds. 



During the next eight weeks the cost of gain was 

 seven and one-half cents and eleven and one-fifth cents, 

 i-espeetively. The animal-meal chicks reached two 

 ]ioun(]s in weight more than five weeks before th ' 

 others; they reached tliive ])ounds more than eigh': 

 weeks sooner, and three indicts of the lot began layin ^: 

 four weeks earlier than any among the grain-fed bird'. 



AYith the second lot of chicks, starting at six week; 

 of age, the ditfei-enees wei-e in the same direction, 

 though not quite so slriking, thus showing that the great 

 advantage of the animal nitrogen is in promoting 



