932 Experiments in Feeding Live Stock, [march, 



tuents, was tested by actual experiment. In the first series, 

 the point raised was the extent to which swedes can be 

 replaced, in the event of a scarcity of roots, by dry food, such 

 as maize meal or meadow hay; while another lot of experi- 

 ments has been directed to the comparison of the feeding 

 value of different kinds of cake. 



Substitutes for Swedes — In 1901 an experiment in feeding- 

 yearling cattle was carried out, in which one lot of eight 

 beasts received 56 lb. swedes, 4 — 6 lb. cake and meal, and 

 7J lb. hay, while another lot received cake, meal, and hay 

 in similar quantities, but only 28 lb. swedes, the place of the 

 remainder being supplied by 3 lb. clover hay, J lb. maize 

 meal, and \ lb. treacle. The feeding results in this case 

 were practically equal, but the substituted foods were slightly 

 more expensive than the swedes. Another experiment on 

 the same lines was conducted in 1901-2, but in this case 

 Lot I. received 28 lb. swedes, 4J — 6J lb. cake and meal, \ lb. 

 treacle, and 11J lb. meadow hay; while Lot II. received 

 no swedes, but 2f lb. clover hay, \ lb. maize meal, and J lb. 

 treacle instead, the other food remaining the same. Lot II., 

 however, did not do quite so well as Lot I., and the results 

 showed that it is not advisable to dispense altogether with 

 swedes for the feeding of fattening cattle. The experiments 

 taken together indicated, however, that when there is a scar- 

 city of roots, these may be partly dispensed with, without 

 affecting the feeding results ; at the same time, with average 

 market conditions, the foods substituted for the roots are 

 likely to be more costly than the roots themselves. 



In 1907-8, experiments with the same object were under- 

 taken with twelve cattle under two years old. Lot I. received 

 56 lb. swedes, 14 lb. meadow hay, and 3 — 5 lb. cake and 

 meal, while Lot II. received 28 lb. swedes only, with 2 J lb. 

 meadow hay, and 2 lb. maize in place of the balance of the 

 swedes, and hay, cake, and meal as in the case of Lot I. 

 The substituted foods were slightly richer than the swedes, 

 and gave slightly better results, though as the cost was 

 higher the net result of the two lots was practically the same. 

 The hay was given in its long condition, and the meal as 

 dry meal. 



In another case eighteen calves just over six months old 



