Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-05-28
How to Realize Profit from Feeding
Animals.

Uncle Abe" was the name given to a
steer that was born on the 18th day of Oc-
tober, 1864, 10 Orange County, n Y. At
birth, he weighed l34sPunds; at nine.
ty days he weighed 1888 pounds--having
gained PSI pounds, or 279 pounds per day.
During this time he had the milk of his
mother, and after he was ten days DID, a
quart Of meal and oats per day-the mother
having all the meal she could eat. At six
months old, he weighed go pounds, having
gained 2S5 pounds-at the rate of 3.l6
pounds per day-the food having been grad
ually increased to two quarts OF meal per
day. At one year old he weighed 1896
pounds, having gained the second six months
366 pounds-at the rate Of 2.03 pounds per
day. AT the age Of eighteen months, ho
weighed 1854 pounds, gaining 31S pounds
at the rate Of 1.76 pounds per day. At
two years Of age, he weighed 1916 pounds,
gaining in the six months 262 pounds, or
l.45 per day. At two and half years old,
he weighed 1890 pounds, gaining 2l4 pounds
at the rate of l.18 per day. At three
years old, he weighed 2070 pounds, gaining
in the preceding half year 240 pounds-at
the rate of 1873 per day. At three and q
half years old, he weighed 2270 pounds,
gaining 200 pounds in six months-at the
rate Of IL per day At four years old, he
weighed 236O pounds, and finally at the a GO
of four years aud four months, he weigh
ed 253O pOunds-having gained in the pre-
ceding ten months 260 pounds "a little more
than he gained in the first 80 days of his
life), and falling to the rate of .S6 of a
pound per day.
This steer was considered remarkably
good animal, and his owner, Mr.. @. S. Mar
vim, of Oxford Depot, Orange County, has
placed us all under obligations by 50 often
weighing and reporting the results for pub.
lie use. The food was increased to meet tho
wants Of the animal, rs his weight increased,
and at two and half years old was eight
quarts Of meal, with roots and good hay or
grass.
What did his beef cost 2 Had he been
slaughtered at one year old, the cost per
pound would have been very much less than
it was when he was killed at four years and
four months of age. If the figures are care
fully studied, it will appear that the food
he received the first ninety days of his life,
he paid the best for and that the next
ninety he did better than he ever did after
wards; and the last ten months of his life,
he gave the least return for the food con-
sumed that he did at any time. At one
year old, he weighed 1896 pounds at three
years old, he weighed 2070 pounds. Thus
two years were required to double the weight
he gave at the end of the first year Of his
life, This law-the younger the animal the
better it pays to feed-is not confined to the
making Of beef; it is also true in regard to
pork or mutton.
Professor Miles, of the Michigan agricul-
tural college, has reported some very accu-
rately conducted experiments made at that
college in feeding sheep and hogs. He says
"The results of our experiments in pig-feed-
ing show conclusively that animals, when
properly fed, give much better result for
the feed consumed during the first few
mouths Of their lives than they do after they
reach maturity" OF fattening sheep he
says: The cost Of the growth Of the sheep
at the beginning Of the experiments has
been estimated at 81 per head at the age oil
six and half months. The average cost Of
100 pounds live weight, exclusive Of the