662 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [nov., 



weight increase per head of both lots during that period was practically 

 the same. The cost of the food given to Lot I. (new milk) was 345. id. 

 per calf, while that given to Lot II. (cottonseed oil) was 10s. ^\d. The 

 calves in Lot II. appeared to thrive well, and the cottonseed oil did not 

 produce either scouring or the opposite effect. This oil, therefore, 

 appears to be a useful cream substitute, though its suitability for 

 younger calves, which were not available, has not yet been tested. 



A mixture of treacle and malt culms was also tried as a milk 

 •substitute, but proved unsatisfactory. 



An experiment was made to compare rice meal with barley meal 

 for pig-fattening purposes, rice meal being selected on account of its 

 relative cheapness compared with other foods. It was bought at ^5 155. 

 per ton, barley meal and middlings being £6 55. to £6 10s. per ton. 



Two lots of five pigs twelve weeks old were selected, one lot received 

 barley meal only, and the other a mixture of barley meal and rice 

 meal, the proportion of rice meal being gradually increased from one 

 quarter to three quarters. The lot receiving rice meal did very badly, 

 and this food, when used with water, does not appear suitable, at 

 any rate for young pigs, as it is not sufficiently rich in nitrogenous 

 matter. It has been shown to be suitable when fed with a highly nitro- 

 genous food, such as separated milk. The experiment was continued 

 with the same pigs, but the ration of each lot was reversed ; the result 

 showed that rice meal was unsuitable by itself for pigs up to five months 

 old. 



Winter and Summer Calf Rearing (Journal of Dept. of Agric. for 

 Ireland, Vol. IX., No. 4, July, 1909). — An account is given of two calf- 

 rearing experiments which were conducted with the object of showing 

 whether the winter or summer rearing of calves was the more profitable. 

 Five calves dropped in November were kept for twelve months, and 

 sold on December 1st, while five calves, dropped in April, were kept 

 for a little over thirteen months, and sold in May. The November 

 calves were sold for £37, which after allowing for all expenses, in- 

 cluding attendance, insurance and interest, left a balance for profit 

 of £2 55. Sd. The April calves only fetched ^32 10s., while the total 

 expenditure was ^36 125., so that there was a loss of ^4 2s., or 16s. 

 per head. The higher cost of the keep of the April calves was due to 

 the large quantity of hay consumed ; they also consumed more roots, 

 but less calf meal, cake, and crushed oats, than the winter lot. The 

 winter calves were more thrifty and better growers than the April lot, 

 and in this they confirmed the general experience that early calves are 

 easier reared and better thrivers than late calves. The separated milk 

 consumed was charged for at id. a gallon, but if this were omitted 

 from the expenditure the balance left for profit from the November 

 calves would be £y os. nd. This would be equal to a return of i\d. 

 per gallon for separated milk when used for feeding winter calves. 

 In the case of the April calves, the balance, after omitting the separated 

 milk, would be only 155., which is equivalent to a return of about \d. 

 per gallon for separated milk when used for feeding April calves. In 

 other words, separated milk was nine times more valuable when used 

 for feeding November calves than when used for feeding April calves. 



The other experiment was carried out on similar lines on a different 

 farm, and pointed to the same conclusion. 



