16 BULLETIN" 767, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
It may be noted that No. 704 was under observation in 1917 and 
made normal gains. 
No. 723 received oak brush from August 5 to August 10, and from 
August 11 to September 13 received oak brush and 3 pounds^of 
alfalfa hay daily. This proved to be a maintenance ration. No 723 
had been gaining during the season, but during the feeding remained 
at a standstill, while under favorable conditions it probably would 
have continued to make gains. 
No. 722 received oak brush from August 5 to August 10 and oak 
brush with a daily ration of 3 pounds of alfalfa hay from August 1 1 
to September 9. The result was almost identical with that in the 
case of No. 723. In both cases, while the gain continued for some 
days after the oak feeding was commenced, the result of the whole 
period was to stop the gain. 
No. 731 received oak brush from June 28 to August 10, and oak 
brush with a daily ration of 3 pounds of alfalfa hay from August 1 1 to 
September 9. It lost weight up to about August 5 and then made a 
continuous gain through the remainder of the period of feeding. 
No. 731 was constipated, and at one time during the feeding exhibited 
bloody feces. 
Most of the sheep fed on oak brush were constipated, but showed 
no other symptoms. Moreover, the constipation was not of a serious 
character. 
The work of 1916 modified the results of 1915 by showing definitely 
that feeding upon oak browse may produce constipation and bloody 
feces, but it could not be inferred that so-called oak-brush poisoning 
is a very serious matter. It also appeared that probably a daily 
ration of hay, in addition to the oak, would prevent ill results. It 
should also be noticed that all the animals fed on oak exclusively 
were fed for a comparatively short time. 
EXPERIMENTAL FEEDING OF CATTLE IN 1917. 
In 1917 six head of cattle were used in the experimental feeding. 
In all cases the animals were fed in the corrals, cut branches of the 
oak being brought in, as in 1916, and the cattle ate the buds, flowers, 
and leaves from the branches much as they would when grazing 
upon the range. 
Two cattle, Nos. 758 and 770, were fed early in the season and 
received at first buds, flowers, and small leaves, and later the mature 
leaves. As the season of 1917 was late, these animals were fed as soon 
as the foliage had started on the oaks. 
No. 758, a steer, was fed from June 11 to July 26, 46 days, having 
nothing but oak, until June 25 the feeding was buds, flowers, and 
small leaves; after that date full-grown leaves were used. On June 
24 the animal was somewhat constipated and at this time and at 
intervals during the remainder of the feeding the feces contained 
