Cod Liver Oil for Calves. 



507 



The difference in the average weight of the calves in the two 

 lots is, therefore, not in proportion to the difference in cost. 



The experiments of the two years, accordingly, show that 

 separated milk with a small quantity of cod liver oil can be 

 successfully employed in calf rearing, but that better calves 

 result from the much more expensive system of feeding with 

 the whole milk. As, however, there is nearly four times the 

 amount of fat in the I J gallons of whole milk fed to each calf 

 that there is in the daily ration of separated milk and cod 

 liver oil, Lot II. might continue to get 2 ozs. of oil daily 

 for about four times the period during which Lot I. received 

 whole milk, before they had consumed an equal quantity of 

 fat. In order, therefore, to determine whether the oil might 

 not be continued with advantage to those calves which 

 were accustomed to it, the eight calves of Lot II. were 

 divided into two pens, to one of which the allowance of 2 

 ozs. of cod liver oil was continued, being mixed with their 

 cake and meal. In all other respects the animals in the three 

 pens were treated exactly alike. 



At the commencement of this second period (September 

 15th) the four animals in Pen I., which had been brought 

 up on whole milk, weighed, altogether, 12 cwts. 2 qrs. 4 lbs. ; 

 the four in Pen II., which were to receive the oil after 

 weaning, 10 cwts. 22 lbs.; and the four in Pen III., which 

 were to get no oil after weaning, 10 cwts. 14 lbs. On 

 March 30th, 1901, the total weights of the three pens were : 

 Pen I., 26 cwts. 3 qrs. 5 lbs.; Pen II., 26 cwts. 3 qrs. 15 

 lbs.; and Pen III., 24 cwts. 3 qrs. 24 lbs* Thus Pen II. 

 increased in weight more rapidly than the other two, 

 and by the end of March had drawn level with Pen I. 

 These figures represent a gain per animal per day of 2 - o 

 lbs. in Pen I., 2*4 lbs. in Pen II., and 2'i lbs. in Pen III. 

 It is a matter of considerable importance to find that the 

 oil had so marked an influence on Pen II., for the animals 

 in Pen III., compared with Pen I., showed very much the 

 same difference in weight in September as they did in 

 March. It may be noted further that even by March 30th 

 the calves continuing to receive oil had not consumed a 

 weight of oil equivalent to the weight of butter-fat supplied 

 to Pen I. in the whole milk prior to September. 



