1909.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 877 



SUMMARY OF AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS.* 

 Experiments with Live Stock. 



Feeding of Cattle (Univ. Coll. of Wales, Report on Expts., 1906). — 

 The usual practice in Wales is to feed store cattle in winter on hay, 

 straw, and roots, with occasionally a small amount of concentrated 

 food. The object of this experiment was to determine to what extent 

 it is profitable to feed store cattle on purchased foodstuffs, and to 

 compare a few of the more commonly used foods. Nine store cattle, 

 rising one year old, bred on the College farm, were divided into 

 three lots and received a daily ration of 20 lb. of roots, hay and straw 

 as required, and 3 lb. of a concentrated feeding stuff, which differed 

 in the case of each lot. The experiment lasted 100 days, or just 

 over fourteen weeks. The lot receiving linseed cake made a total 

 gain of 2 cwt. 21 lb., at a cost of 3^. per lb. of increase; the lot 

 which were fed on a proprietary feeding cake gained 2 cwt. at a cost 

 of i>hd. per lb. ; and those fed on maize meal increased by 1 cwt. 1 qr. 

 14 lb., which represented a cost of 4t 9 q^. per lb. gained. During 

 the summer the animals were turned out to grass, with no artificial 

 feeding stuff, when those that had received linseed cake again did 

 best, but those that had received the feeding cake made a rather 

 smaller increase than the maize meal lot. The conclusion from these 

 trials, therefore, is that linseed cake is the foodstuff which gives the 

 best result. 



Feeding of Cattle (Univ. Coll. of North Wales, Bangor, Agric. 

 Dept., Bull. IX., 1907).- — This experiment was intended to compare 

 decorticated cotton cake with a mixture of undecorticated cotton and 

 linseed cakes. Two lots of five bullocks were fed for about nine weeks 

 with 84 lb. swedes, 10 lb. hay, 6 lb. straw, and 4 lb. crushed oats. 

 Lot I. received in addition 2 lb. undecorticated cotton cake and 2 lb. 

 linseed cake, while Lot II. got 4 lb. decorticated cake. After six 

 weeks Lot I. received \ lb. more of each cake, and Lot II. 

 received 1 lb. extra of the cake, while the supply of crushed oats 

 was increased to 5 lb. in each case. The animals in Lot L which 

 were fed on mixed cotton and linseed cake gained in live weight 

 over a stone per head more than those fed on decorticated cotton cake 

 alone. The mixed cake cost 175. Sd. per head, while the decorticated 

 cake cost 20s. $d. The result, therefore, was decidedly in favour of 

 the mixed cake, but it was in a measure due to the poor return made 

 by one bullock in Lot II. 



Feeding Cattle with Mangolds (Cambridge Univ., Dept. of Agric., 

 Guide to Expts., 1907). — In connection with an investigation into the 

 composition of root crops, feeding trials were carried out with various 

 strains of mangolds. These experiments are referred to under 

 Experiments with Root Crops, Journal, Oct., 1908, p. 538. 



* A short review or summary of the experiments carried out in this country, 

 classified according to subject, is given monthly. (The first appeared in the 

 issue for September, 1908.) This summary is not intended to do more than 

 give a brief indication of the character of the experiment and of the conclusions 



j reached. Those who are interested in any particular investigation can refer for 

 further details to the original publication. The Board would be glad to receive 



1 for inclusion in this summary copies of reports on inquiries, whether carried 

 out by agricultural colleges, societies, or private persons. 



