CALF FEEDING TEST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 4, 30 December 1912, Page 3

CALF FEEDING TEST.

VALUE OF CRUSHED OATS

' The Royal Agricultural Society of England has been carrying out an experiment at the Woburn Experiment Farm to determine the best way of rearing calves from birth. At the annual meeting of the society last month, it was reported that 20 calves were purchased in the market when two to three days old, and were all fed alike for three weeks on whole milk onJy. After the first three yveeks the calves were divided into five lots of four each. To one lot whole milk continued to be given alone, but in the other - cases changes of diet were made, separated milk gradually replacing whole milk, and various additions being given to make up for the fat of the whole milk. Thus, in one lot, cod liver oil was used with the separated milk, in another case a purchased “calf meal” was employed, in a third case a gruel of linseed and oatmeal was made up, and in a fourth case crushed oats were used in addition to separated milk. The crushed oats, it should be said, were given dry, and not mixed up with the separated milk. A handful at a time was given at first to each calf, and this gradually increased. The calves were thus fed for nine weeks, and, at the conclusion of the three months’ feeding, were weighed, when the greatest gain *was found to have been obtained from the oats and separated milk, and this at the lower cost per pound of gain. The following table shows the comparative results:— Average Average Average Descrip- cost per gain in lb cost in tion of calf per per calf pence per food week, per week, lb gain s. d. lbs. d.

1. Cod liver oil ... 2 8.19 9.66 3.33 2. Calf meal 2 0 9.66 2.77 3. Gruel 2 4.77 8.29 3.47 4. Crushed oats 2 8.16 13.30 2.41 5. Whole milk 5 9.22 12.83 5.39 The calves were then (June 18th) turned out to grass, and from this time were fed alike—on linseed with a little- crushed oats and hay. On September 17th, after an interval of 91 days, they were all again weighed, and the following table gives the comparative gains over this further period :

Average daily gain per head lb. 1. Cod liver oil lot ... 1.90 2. Calf meal lot ... 1.75 5. Gruel lot j 1.57 4. Whole milk lot ... 2.00 5. Crushed oats lot ... 2.19 Tims it will be seen that not only did the crushed oats with separated' milk produce, in the first period of experimental feeding, the greatest gain at the lower cost, hut, later on, when the special foods were dropped, and the calves were all turned out to grass and fed alike, the superiority of the earlier feeding with crushed oats was maintained. The experiment will be carried on for some months longer.