191 1.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 1013 



changes in the times of feeding and quantity fed, made at short 

 intervals, as in this case, such increase might be kept up over a longer 

 period than is usually the case. When the cake was given in the 

 morning the greatest increase in the percentage of fat was obtained, 

 and this increase was most noticeable in the morning's milk. 



(3) Owing to this slight increase in the percentage of fat, the total 

 quantity of butter fat produced was increased. A gradual decrease 

 took place during the trial, but this decrease was much less in the 

 group of cows receiving cake. 



(4) The cost of the feeding stuffs used is not equalled by the return 

 obtained. Owing to the yield of milk not being increased, practically 

 no return is obtained if the milk is sold. If butter or cheese is made, 

 the foods give a return equal to about one-third of their cost. In this case 

 the foods cost £i gs. iod., while the extra butter produced was estimated 

 to be worth ios. iod. ; but, as mentioned before, other circumstances, 

 such as the increase or decrease of live-weight, effect on general health, 

 and manurial residue, have to be taken into account. The small number 

 of cows with which the trial was made must also be borne in mind. 



The Feeding of Store Bullocks in Summer and Winter (Cornwall 

 C. C, Rept. on Cattle Feeding, 1907 and 1908.) — Experiments were 

 made to find the average increase in live-weight of store steers about 

 two years old, when grazed on second-rate pastures through the summer 

 months. Three trials were made in 1907 with (1) six steers turned on 

 to light uplands (where the pastures are broken up in rotation) for 

 twelve weeks, from May 14th to August 8th ; (2) ten steers on inferior 

 pastures for nearly ten weeks, from May 15th to July 22nd; (3) ten 

 steers running over light arable land or second-rate pastures of the 

 same character as the above, for twelve weeks from May 21st to 

 August 14th. 



The following is a summary of the results : — 



Average Increase 



live weight per head 



at start. per week, 



cwt. qr. lb. 



(1) 62* 24'I 



(2) 8 i 23-1 



(3) 7 2 19-1 



It is remarked as a suggestive fact that the increase made by the 

 bullocks in the first' experiment, viz., 24*1 lb. per head per week, is 

 the same as that made in 1906, and again in 1907, by fattening beasts 

 on luxuriant pastures with a liberal ration of purchased feeding stuffs. 



A second experiment carried out by the Executive Committee dealt 

 with the feeding of store bullocks in winter. Former experiments had 

 suggested that store bullocks were fed inadequately in winter, so that 

 after the expenditure of two or three months' keep there was a loss in 

 live-weight. Accordingly in the winter of 1907 and 1908 trials were 

 made on three farms. 



On the first, eight stores under two years' old, receiving hay ad lib. 

 in a yard, lost, between December 15th and May 7th, an average of 

 45 lb. each. On the second farm eight bullocks were fed on straw 

 ad lib. and a few roots, with a run over inferior pastures. From 

 December 12th to March 30th the loss in live-weight averaged 63 lb. 

 per beast. In both cases the beasts were treated in the way usually 

 adopted by local farmers in wintering their stores. 



