LLIXois DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



:; J 



Variety in the Grain Ration. Since a mixture of any 



two grains give better results than any one alone, the question 

 arises as to whether a still greater variety would not be a benefit. 

 In the same manner of the above experiments, two lots of calves 

 of ten each were put in the feed lot January 21, 1903. The grain 

 ration of one consisted of shelled corn and ground Kafir-corn, 

 equal parts ; the other lot received a variety of grains, mixed in 

 the following proportions : Shelled corn, 10 pounds ; ground 

 Kafir-corn, 10 pounds ; whole oats, 6 pounds ; bran, 6 pounds ; 

 oil-meal. 2 pounds ; dried blood, ^4 pound. This experiment 

 was first started in November, 1902. Three of the calves became 

 sick and died and it became necessary to fill their places with 

 other calves. This caused a redivision of the lots and starting 

 anew with the experiment. For this reason, these calves were 

 older when the experiment began than those in the previous 

 experiment. The results are summarized in table XVIII. 



Table XVIII. — Effect of variety in the calf ration. 





a 











Grain Fed 













_ 















•- 



- 

 ■- 



- 



M 



5 



u 



2 







~_ 



a 



z 



- 











i 



IE 



a ~ 









— 







E 



>. 



= 



'-_ 



- - 



Z M 



- 



T. 



a 



iz. 

















^ 











£ 



O 



m 



f. 



O 



— 



^ 







P 



r- 



Mixed-grain 



lot 10 126 19,382 1,235.6 1,236.6 735.4 735.4 244.8 60.9 4,248.7 



Check lot 10 126 19,841.9 2,101.5 2,101.5 4,203.0 



Roughness Average Feed consumed per 100 



fed. gains. lbs. gain. 



Prairie Alfalfa Per Daily per Skim- Rough- 



hay, hay. Total, head. head. milk. Grain, ness. 



Mixed grain lot... 361 6,980 7,341 220.2 1.74 880.19 192.94 333.37 

 Check lot 2,392 5,915 8,307 255.1 2.02 777.79 164.75 325.63 



As far as this experiment goes, there seems to be no gain in 

 furnishing calves a large variety in the grain ration. 



