i9o8.] 



Cost of Producing Beef in Winter. 



257 



treated in exactly the same way, except as regards feeding. 

 The following statement shows the result of 60 days' feeding : — 



(a) . — Ration, 13 lb. of hay, 62 lb. of roots; daily gain, 

 1 -87 lb. 



(b) . — Ration, 11 lb. of hay, 53 lb. of roots, and 7-5 lb. of cake 

 and corn ; daily gain, 1*53 lb. 



That is to say, with a difference of about 6 lb. of cake in its 

 favour (1 lb. of cake taken as equal to 1 lb. of hay and 9 lb. of 

 roots), the low type of animal gained 18 per cent, less than the 

 good quality one. 



Length of Fattening Period. — A point very commonly ignored 

 is that once the first three months or initial stage of feeding is 

 passed, the longer an animal is on a fattening ration the greater 

 the cost will be for every lb. of live- weight put on. The 

 contrary view is very frequently held by practical feeders, who 

 do not use the weighbridge, probably because the last few pounds 

 put on show more than the first. The very pleasing appear- 

 ance of a beast that is at that stage when he becomes more than 

 first quality or " primest " is very noticeable and attractive to 

 those interested in the feeders' art. Tables I and II, taken 

 from the reports published by Mr. W. Bruce of the East 

 of Scotland Agricultural College, help to illustrate the point : — 



Table I. — Average Monthly Increase per Lot of 8 Cattle, 



1905. 



Periods of 28 Days. 



Lot I. 



Decorticated 

 Cotton-Cake. 



Lot II. 



Egyptian 

 Cotton-Cake. 



Lot III. 



Bombay 

 Cotton-Cake. 



1st Period 

 2nd , , 



3rd „ 



4th 



5th 



Average daily increase 

 per head 



Lb. 



63-3 

 72-1 

 72-7 

 31*3 

 30-7 



Lb. 



73'o 



61-7 



72-6 



44-0 



41-7 



Lb. 



70-7 • 



I2'6 



97"7 

 57'4 

 52-7 



} r 93 



2*07 



2-07 



In the different lots shown in the above table and in, the 

 table on the next page, the quality or the quantity, or both 

 quality and quantity, of concentrated food was increased 

 towards the end of the feeding trial. In searching the feeding 

 trials held by the Royal Agricultural Society of England at 

 (3789) R 



