OATMEAL FOR CALF FEEDING

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9941, 21 January 1898, Page 6

OATMEAL FOR CALF FEEDING

[ Experiments recently conducted by Profeasor Curtisa, of the lowa Experiments \ Station, on feeding, calves, have gone to «■ show that oil-meal is not only a more, ex- I pensive food than either oat or maize meal, but gives less gain for the amount consumed than either of the other foods. Three lota ( of calves were selected for the experiment, « lot No. 1 being fed on oilmeal . and { separated milk, No. 2 on oatmeal and J separated milks and No. 3 on fUx seedy | maize meal and separated milk. Three j experiments were conducted in succession 1 beginning when the calves were quite young, 1 and extending over periods of 60, 90 and 74 J days respectively. The result proved that ' the oatmeal and Jiiilk gave.the greatest gairf ( at the least cost, while, the oil-meal and milk produced the least gain at the greatest Coat. I The results of these experiments, the Anstra- ( lasian points out, are contrary to prevailing opinion, dairy authorities having hitherto given preference to oil-meal as the beat in* gredient for bringing aeparated milk up to the atandard of a whole food. It certainly does give good results in calf-feeding, yet 1 this experiment, as well as the practical ex*. t perience of many farmers, is that oatmeal , is better for feeding, while, at the same , time, it is usually much cheaper. Colonial ] growers of oats know to their cost that the i price of oats is. frequently so low as to leaVe J no margin of profit for the cultivators. If, " instead of sellipg the crop, the oats were utilised as food for calves, it is more than likely a very different result would be achieved. : Dairy herds must be maintained by breeding and selection, end the oatmeal diet is especially valuable in feeding the ■■" heifer calf intended for milking purposesInfact, it cannot be too, forcibly said tha ' oatmeal is, of all grain meal, the beet W c produce bone, muecle, and growth, and i farmers will make no mistake if .they com* *• bine at least a portion of their oat .orop with separated milk for the purpose of raiting calves to supplement their dairy hards. ■„ . : , ——_ ' i