Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-05-23

meal-ted steers, now having POUNDS corn
given him daily. Fourthly, water was
given to ascertain the relation of tempera-
ture and the kind of food given, to the
amount of water drank. Foreign author
tiles claim that four pounds Of water are
required for every pound of organic matter
eaten. Our steers have consumed less than
~ pounds, per pound Of organic matter con.
sumed As IL Is estimated that one-half Of
the water drank is vaporized by the skin or
lungs, and that TO vaporize pound Of water
requires the consumption OF p ounces OF
the starch OF the food, or its equivalent, this
question becomes an important one. / have
elsewhere found that the amount Of water
thrown off from the skin or lungs, by the
kidneys or intestines, varies with the food,
as well as does the amount drank vary with
the kind of food eaten.
The colder the weather the less the water
vaporized and the less food required for this
purpose. Thus steer adapts himself TO
changing temperature, in measure. The
lessened water drank by lot 5, fed in open
air, led me to conclude that temperature ex
planned the fact yet after changing this lot
to the barn, and lot ! to open air they still
drank less than lot l. but was late with
the change as the weather had grown
warmer in the sun than in the barn by day.
| may notice, here, that after the change of
lots and 5, the change confirmed the first
results. Unquestionably the steers in the
open air have fed better than those in the
barn. Why2 First, our barn did not make
difference enough in temperature to balance
the evils of confinement. Second, those in
op5n air were free from vermin, those in the
old shed barn were freed from lice only
by application of agents destructive to the
lice. Thirdly, the average temperature of
the coolest month was but pol for morning
and evening. Iregard this trial as valuable.
Makeshft barns are of doubtful value.
Will substantial, economically constructed,
well.ventilattd d barns payP In several years
of careful weighing, | have clearly found
that as between wal IN and cooler stalls in
barn, the warmer ones were economic. This
does not touch the question of shelter or no
shelter, however.
The change of lots and 5, and mistake
on the part of the feeder as to the amount
of hay ordered for lot 4, SO changed the
relation Of the meal fed steers to those hav.
ing whole corn, and of the hay lot, TO the
corn fodder lot, as to destroy just basis of
comparison. Hence, brief summary Of
the results of the following 40 days of feed
ing will be given. Lot in open air gained
faster than lot 3 in barn, although lot
gained faster in open air than lot ! while in
barn. The cotton seed meal, cotton seed,
and corn meal fed lot made the best gain Of
either lot, still eating less food than either
of the other lots During the 9TH period Of
feeding, all lots had all the hay they would
eat yet did no better than when fed on
crushed corn fodder and grain. An ir-
crease in amount of grain fed was followed
by decrease in hay eaten, lot eating $50
pounds corn for last p days and only 297
pounds hay, although given all the hay it
would consume. Lot ate 900 pounds corn
and only 264 pounds of hay Lot 3 ate 449
of meal and 453 Of hay here much less
grain was eaten for best gain. A careful
noting Of facts of weighing has led me to
doubt whether very heavy feeding of grain
for brief fattening period is as economical
as a constant but moderate feeding from
calfhood up to sales as fat beasts.
Review-First, for 61 days of meal versus
whole corn, the meal fed steers gained 20
pounds more than the corn fed steers plus
gain of pig, on $50 pounds less consumption
| of food. Cost Of grinding corn at cents
per bushe $3.50, value of extra gain of meal
| fed steers at 5 cents 50 80 plus the value OF
| $50 pounds fodder. Second, the corn fod
der crushed at a cost of 81 per ton was well
eaten anu gave as gOod results Wnen gram
was fed in moderate quantities as hay. 1t
must not be inferred from this that when
fed alone it has the same value as good hay
esteem it to have practical value of I
that of good timothy hay. The experiment
shows that we can utilize corn fodder fully,
if we deem it best to. Thirdly, the cotton
seed meal, supplying the albuminoids in
which corn fodder is deficient has made
the best gain for the entire period Of Ill
days, excepting corr meal by 10 pounds,
and very much the best gain per pound Of
food eaten. They ate 5,OSl pounds; corn
meal lot GOA pounds hay and whole corn
fed lot $40 pounds. One of the cheapest,
most available, aud an effective source Of
albuminous food find to be clover hay. In
several years of weighed trials have never
failed 10 get good results with clover fed
with straw or corn fodder; and as good as
with clear timothy hay. All of these coarse
foods can be utilized that the state raises,
by the use of the cutter and clover hay.
Fourthly, the importance of thorough in
vestigation of the question of sheltering
stock, ard the conditions of shelter are
made more evident.