52 



To produce one pound of increase in live weight there 

 was required of concentrated food, "grain/" Avith the cot- 

 ton seed meal rations and sorghum hay, 4.82 ll)s. ; with 

 the mixed hay and cotton seed ration, 5.41 lbs. ; with the 

 sorghum hay and cotton seed ration, 8.12 lbs. ; with the 

 corn stover and cotton seed ration, 0.41 lbs. 



The amounts of roughness required to produce one 

 pound of gain were, respectively, 6.56, 6.85, 11.09, and 

 10.23 pounds. • The cotton seed meal ration afforded the 

 largest per cent, of dressed meat. 



A decline in the price of cattle while the experiment 

 Avas in progress reduced the margin between the buying 

 and selling prices to less than six-tenths of a cent a 

 pound, a margin nsually too narrow for profitable feed- 

 ing. On the basis of the very high prices of foodstuffs 

 prevailing in the winter of 1903-4, there was with all cot- 

 ton seed lots a profit during the first 56 days of the ex- 

 periment, but a loss after this time with all lots, if no 

 account be taken of the manure. 



On the basis of moderate prices of feed, Lot II was fed 

 at a profit for 84 days. With low prices of food, Lots I, 

 TI, and III afforded a profit, in addition to the manure. 



The profit in feeding beef cattle is made, not by pro- 

 ducing new growth at less cost per pound than it sells 

 for, but in the increased value of the original weight, 

 due to fattening. A margin of one cent per pound be- 

 tween purchase price and selling price is desirable. 



About 7 pounds of raw cotton seed was fed in the 

 daily ration without injury to the health of the average 

 steer. 



Account was kept of the cost of food consumed by 

 three grade or crossbred steers. Up to the average age 

 of 24.3 months the average steer consumed .|18.39 worth 

 of skim milk, grain, hay, and pasturage, of which 



