928 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [feb., 



that it was an excellent food for different kinds of stock. In all cases 

 it was tested with decorticated cotton cake, because that cake gave 

 better results than linseed cake and several other oil cakes at Cockle 

 Park. For fattening cattle and dairy cows soy bean cake gave quite as 

 good results as decorticated cotton cake, but it did not do quite so well 

 for fattening sheep or for young store cattle. It is important to note 

 that soy beans, containing over 17 per cent, of oil, gave a better result 

 with fattening sheep than soy bean cake containing about 7 per cent, 

 of oil. The larger amount of oil present in the beans has, therefore, 

 had a considerable feeding value. 



Fattening Cattle. — Twelve blue-grey cattle, just over eighteen months 

 old, were divided into two lots and fed in boxes at Cockle Park. The 

 trials commenced on November 26th, 1909, and continued for four 

 months. Each beast in Lot I. received on the average 4 lb. decorticated 

 cotton cake daily throughout the trials, while each beast in Lot II. 

 received on the average 4 lb. soy bean cake daily, in both cases along 

 with other foods. On the average each beast in each lot gained 12 lb. 

 weekly, so that the feeding results with the two cakes were exactly 

 alike, and each lot was equally ready for the butcher at the close of 

 the trials. As the cost of the soy bean cake was considerably less than 

 that of the decorticated cotton cake the financial result was considerably 

 in favour of feeding with soy bean cake. 



Young Store Cattle. — Eighteen blue-grey calves, just over six months 

 •old, were divided into two lots and put on winter rations, which were 

 identical, except that Lot I. received if lb. decorticated cotton cake daily 

 and Lot II. if lb. soy bean cake daily. The trials commenced on 

 November 27th, 1909, and continued for twelve weeks. The stirks 

 receiving decorticated cotton cake gained 6£ lb., and those receiving 

 soy bean cake 5 lb. a head weekly. Both lots were in excellent store 

 condition at the close of the trials. As the cost of the soy bean cake 

 was less than that of the decorticated cotton cake the financial result 

 at the end was only to a small extent in favour of decorticated cotton 

 cake. 



Fattening Sheep. — Forty-eight three-parts bred hoggs were fed in 

 the sheep-house at Cockle Park, and were divided into three lots, sixteen 

 in each lot. The trials commenced on November 23rd, 1909, and 

 continued for ten and a half weeks. The average rations fed were 

 identical, except that Lot I. received J lb. decorticated cotton cake 

 ■daily, Lot II. fib. soy bean cake daily, and Lot III. fib. soy beans 

 daily. 



The results were that those receiving decorticated cotton cake gained 

 2'34 lb. a head weekly in live-weight, those receiving soy bean cake 

 i'75 lb. a head weekly, and those receiving soy beans 2*04 lb. a head 

 weekly. The average live-weight of each animal during the trial was 

 130 lb. When the prices of the two cakes and the soy beans are taken 

 into account the financial results do not differ to any extent, and all 

 the sheep were in good fat condition at the close. The extra oil con- 

 tained in the beans was evidently of value for sheep feeding. 



Milch Cows. — Trials were conducted on the effects of these two 

 cakes on milch cows at Newton Rigg, the Cumberland and Westmor- 

 land Farm School, under the supervision of the manager, Mr. W. T. 

 Lawrence. 



