
194 REPORT OF THE First ASSISTANT OF THE 
FEEDING TALLOW TO HENS. 
In order to observe the effect of feeding more than an average 
ameunt of fat in a ration, two pens of hens were fed for a few 
months, one haying as much tallow as was readily eaten with a 
moderate grain ration, and the other having a similar ration with 
linseed meal (o. p.) substituted for the tallow. 
This feeding trial was not begun until March third, and 
although it extended. over the larger part of the ordinary. laying 
season it did not include the whole. From May fifth to October 
sixth, during the latter five months, eight hens were in each pen 
and, for the two months preceding, fewer (six, five and four). The 
fowls were S. C. B. Leghorns with the exception of two of Game- 
Wyandotte cross in each pen. There was fed, besides tallow and 
linseed meal, wheat, corn silage, cabbage, alfalfa forage, timothy 
forage and two grain mixtures. Mixture No. 10 contained six 
parts wheat bran, three parts wheat middlings and one part 
linseed meal. Mixture No. 16 contained six parts wheat bran, 
three parts corn meal, two parts linseed meal. The results are 
averaged in the tabular statement for irregular periods, consisting - 
of from twenty-one to forty-eight days, according to the green 
foods, ete., available. 
Although there was a constant and considerable difference . 
between the two rations, neither ration was an extreme. The 
ratio of total protein to the total carbohydrates was, on the 
average for the seven months, 1:4:47 in the linseed meal ration, 
and 1:5.53 in the tallow ration. With the weight of fats multi- 
plied as usual the average ratios were 1:4.78 and 1:6.75. The 
proportion of fats to the total water-free food showed, however, 
greater difference, in the one ration being that of 1: aa and in 
the other 1:8.1. 
The average egg product was somewhat in favor of the hens 
having the less fat in their food, and the average size of the eggs 
laid by them was a little larger. During one period, however, of 
forty-two days in July and August more eggs were obtained from — 
the hens having tallow. During the first period while the hens 
were newly confined there were few eggs laid, and during the 
latter period many hens were molting. 
The greatest difference observed was that the hens having 
the linseed meal molted nearly all at the same time, earlier 


