74 



Bullock Feeding Experiment. 



linseed and cotton cake mixed, and linseed decorticated 

 cotton meal and maize meal mixed. 



Nine bullocks under two years old were chosen and 

 divided into three lots of three each. From December 12th to 

 December 27th they all received the same daily ration, viz. 

 5 lbs. undecorticated cotton-cake, 56 lbs. swedes, with hay, 

 barley straw, and chaff, ad lib. The experiment proper 

 commenced on the 28th December, each bullock receiving 

 the same amount of roots, hay, and straw ; but Lot A had 

 in addition 3 lbs, undecorticated cotton cake and 3 Jbs. 

 linseed cake, lot B had 1 lbs. linseed cake, ih lbs. de- 

 corticated cotton meal, and 3 lbs. maize meal, while lot C 

 got 6 lbs. undecorticated cotton cake. The quantity of all 

 these artificials was increased by a third on January 25th, 

 and again by the same amount on February 22 nd. On April 

 8th, 1 5th, and 22nd, one bullock was chosen from each lot, the 

 live weight recorded, and the carcase weight taken three days 

 after. The bullocks were sold at 7s. 6d. per stone, and their 

 value per head worked out as follows : Lot A, £iy os. iod,; 

 Lot B, £iy 2s. 6d.; Lot C, £16 12s. 2d. The daily gain had 

 been 2*18, 2*10, and 173 lbs. per head respectively; while 

 Lot C showed, a somewhat higher percentage of carcase. 

 The cost of the food was, however, lowest in the case cf Lot 

 C, and subtracting the original value of the bullocks on 

 December 12th, and the cost of the food from the final value 

 on April 15th (average of the dates when they were killed) 

 there was shown a net profit per head of 3s. 5d. in the case 

 of A, 7s* yd. in the case of Lot B, and 5s. nd. in the case 

 of Lot C. The butcher's report was that Lot A were good 

 cutters and nice quality ; Lot B were first class, full of 

 quality, and the meat was extra ; Lot C was a little short of 

 meat, and required more help. 



The conclusion drawn from this experiment was that the 

 profit from such winter feeding is very small, as after 

 debiting rent and labour, and crediting value of manure, the 

 receipts and expenditure nearly balance ; and the difference 

 in the profits obtained is not great enough to warrant any 

 distinct inference being drawn. 



