Bullock Feeding Experiments 



319 



and 1897-8, two-year-old dishorned Irish cattle were the sub- 

 ject of the experiment ; while in 1898-9 Norfolk red polled 

 bullocks were provided, half of which were thirteen, the 

 other half eighteen, months old. 



The plan of the experiments has been to give 1 cwt. 

 of roots and 10 lb. mixed hay and straw chaff per head per 

 diem, and to supplement this with the purchased foods 

 under trial. The Irish beasts, in the first two years of the 

 experiment, consumed the whole of the roots ; but the 

 smaller and younger red polls only got through about 

 7 J stone per head per diem, instead of the eight stone 

 -allowed them. 



The full allowance of 10 lbs. of chaff was not consumed 

 any year, the average amount eaten per head per diem being 

 only 8 lbs. In each experiment the roots used to start with 

 consisted entirely of swedes, which, after about half the 

 time, were gradually replaced by mangolds, as in 1895-6. 



Four lots, each of five bullocks, have been used 

 in each year, and, on the whole, the casualties have for- 

 tunately been very few. In 1897-8 and 1898-9, the whole 

 of the beasts kept in good health throughout ; while in 

 1896-7 one beast in each lot did badly, the causes being 

 in the case of Lot. II, tuberculous liver ; Lot III,, abscesses in 

 the scrotum ; and in Lots I. and IV., some disorder which was 

 not identified definitely, but which was in no way due to the 

 food. Accordingly, the results for this year are worked out 

 for the four sound beasts in each lot, and, when necessary 

 for purposes of comparison, increased by one-fourth. 



The statements given below show the exact rations of pur- 

 chased food consumed per head per diem by each lot in each 

 year. 



From them it will be seen that the general arrangement of 

 the rations was as follows : — 



Lot I. received, in addition to roots and chaff, linseed cake 

 alone each year. 



Lot II. received the same amount of a mixture of linseed 

 cake and common cotton cake each year. 



Lot III. always got decorticated cotton cake, but the first 



