26 POTATOES FOR STOCK FEEDING. [Sept. 1894. 



approximately the initial and final weights of each lot, and also 

 the corresponding increase in live weight : — 



Kations. 



Weight of Animals. 



Increase in Live Weight. 



Initial. 



Final. 



Total. 



Per 

 Head 

 perDiem. 



Per 

 cent, of 

 Initial 

 Weight. 



Lot 1 . Normal ration, beetroot and 

 haj. 



„ 2. Normal ration, potatoes and 

 hay. 



,, 3. Large ration, potatoes and 

 hay. 



Lbs. 

 5,253 



5,095 



5,197 



Lbs. 



5,652 



5,641 

 5,804 



Lbs. 



399 



546 

 608 



Lbs. 

 2-2 



2- 9 



3- 3 



7-6 



10- 6 



11- 7 



The above figures, it is maintained, illustrate most strikingly 

 the superiority of potatoes to beetroot in nutritive value. When 

 the ration is normal, potatoes are said to have a decided advantage 

 since they show an additional daily increase in live weight per 

 head of nearly 11 ozs. When the ration is one-fifth richer in 

 potatoes, this increase rises to 17 ozs. On the termination of the 

 first experiment, the bullocks were subjected tc a second experi- 

 mental period, partly with a view to develop the maximum 

 of meat, and partly to test whether those bullocks which had 

 hitherto been nourished upon beetroot were capable of deriving 

 sustenance from potatoes. With this object in view, eight of the 

 bullocks were selected, and each animal received a mixed ration 

 of potatoes and hay with an addition of 4*4 lbs. of oilcake per 

 diem. This second experiment was of short duration, lasting only 

 28 days. In spite of a small accident, the results were sufficiently 

 definite to show that each of the eight bullocks daily gained 

 considerably in live weight for two weeks, but soon afterwards 

 the improvement ceased. In fact, from the 24th February and 

 during the two following weeks, it was observed that the rate 

 of increase became decidedly less ; hence it was inferred that the 

 animals were at their prime and nutrition by potatoes might be 

 considered to be complete. On the 10th of March this diet was 

 stopped. The results recorded during the two experimental 

 periods show that in 95 days the bullocks of lot 1, fed for 67 

 days on beetroot and 28 days on potatoes, increased in live weight 

 only 2-09 lbs. per head daily. In 81 days the bullocks of 

 lot 2 receiving normal ration of potatoes increased in live weight 

 at the rate 2*86 lbs. per head daily. The bullocks of lot 3, 

 which received for the same period the large ration of potatoes, 

 increased in weight 3*52 lbs. per head daily. 



The sheep were divided into three lots of 10 sheep each : 

 lot 1 received the normal ration of beetroot and hay mentioned 

 above ; lot 2 received the normal ration of potatoes and hay ; 



