Sept. 1894.] 



POTATOES FOR STOCK FEEDING. 



25 



IX.— POTATOES FOR STOCK FEEDING. 



M. Girard has recently transmitted to the Board of Agriculture 

 a paper containing the results of his latest researches into the 

 meat-producing value of potatoes used for feeding stock. 



Such use of potatoes has long been practised in France and 

 elsewhere, but *the actual meat-producing value of potatoes 

 has not, in M. Girard's opinion, been sufficiently demonstrated. 



For this reason M. Girard undertook a series of experiments 

 with a view to determine the value of potatoes as fodder for 

 cattle and sheep, his special object being to test their value in 

 the production of meat. 



Nine large bullocks, averaging 1,760 lbs. in weight, and 33 

 sheep were subjected to a series of experiments lasting from 

 28th November 1893 to 24th March 1894. The plan of research 

 consisted of two completely parallel series of experiments, the 

 one on bullocks, the other on sheep, each series comprisiog three 

 lots of animals. Lot 1 received normal rations of beetroot and 

 hay ; lot 2 also received normal rations equivalent to that of 

 lot 1, but consisting of potatoes and hay ; lot 3 received a large 

 ration of potatoes. Thus in the two first lots the meat-producing 

 value of potatoes was tested and contrasted with that of beetroot, 

 while the third lot exhibited the effect of a supply of potatoes 

 in excess of the normal, and thus fixed the limits within which 

 potatoes may be used with advantageous results. 



In every case, excepting one to which reference will be made 

 below, the potatoes were cooked. As regards the relative com- 

 position of the beetroot and potatoes, it was first ascertained 

 that as regards dry weight of nutritive matter, any given weight 

 of potatoes might be reckoned as equivalent in value to twice 

 the same weight of beetroot. Subject to these conditions, the 

 daily normal ration was fixed per head as follows : — (1.) For 

 bullocks, 110 lbs. beetroot or 55 lbs. cooked potatoes, with 1 1 lbs 

 chopped straw, 16^ lbs. hay, and lOJ ozs. salt. (2.) For sheep, 

 8-8 lbs. beetroot or 4'4 lbs. cooked potatoes, with 1*1 lbs. chopped 

 straw, 1*65 lbs. hay, and 10^ ozs. salt. In the larger ration 

 the quantity of potatoes was raised to 66 lbs. for bullocks and 

 6-6 lbs. for sheep. The proportion of hay, chopped straw, etc., 

 remained unaltered. 



The bullocks were divided as evenly as possible into three lots, 

 each containing three animals ; in lot 1, their aggregate weight 

 was 5,253 lbs. ; in lot 2 it was 5,095 lbs., and 5,197 lbs. in lot 3, 

 In order to clearly show the effect produced by potatoes upon 

 the growth of bullocks, the three lots were kept separate 

 for 61 days^ each receiving the ration indicated above. Each 

 bullock was weighed every week, and the following table gives 



