DIVISION OF ANIMAL HrfiBA^BEY 533 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Original weight of 15 steers, 16,560 pounds, at 4-75 cents per pound $ 786 60 



Weight at finish of 15 steers, 19,485 pounds at 6-50 cents per pound... $ 1,266 63 



Gross profit $ 479 93 



Amount of hay consumed lb. 28,185 



Amount of meal consumed " 7,710 



Amount of roots and ensilage consumed " 104,100 



Cost of feed for lot 120 days $ 337 67 



Net profit I $ 142 26 



Daily rate of gain per steer lb. 1-625 



Cost of 1 pound gain cts. 11-54 



Cost of feed per day per steer " 18-76 



Profit per steer $ 9 48 



Lot 111. 



Total live weight of 15 steers, January 1. 1912 lb. 12,31-5 



Total live weight of 15 steers, April 30, 1912 " 17,145 



Increase to April 30. 1912 " 4 800 



Original weight of 15 steers, 12,345 pounds, at 4-75 cents per pound $ 586 38 



Weight at finish of 15 steers, 17,145 pounds at 6-50 cents per pound... $ 1,114 43 



Gross profit $ 528 05 



Amount of hay consumed lb. 28.185 



Amount of meal consumed " 7,710 



Amount of roots and ensilage consumed " 104,100 



Cost of feed for lot 120 days $ 318 30 



Net profit $ 209 75 



Daily rate of gain per steer - lb. 2-66 



Cost of 1 pound gain cts. 6-63 



Cost of feed per day per steer " 17-43 



Profit per steer $ 13 98 



Deductions. — Although no definite conclusions can be drawn from this single 

 experiment, yet the results of this trial point to the following facts : — 



1. In comparing lots I and II it is found that half the roots may be dispensed 

 with when good hay is available and yet the same daily gain per steer be maintained. 



2. When the finishing period is of short duration, then the high-quality food 

 6tuffs and the narrower ration containing a higher per cent of dry matter, give 

 greater profits. 



3. In a comparison of lots II and III, the fact is again demonstrated that, on 

 the same foodstuffs, steers will make greater and more economical gains when in 

 loose boxes than when tied in stalls. Nor does this take into account the facts 

 that less labour is expended and more manure of a higher quality is procured when 

 the steers are in loose boxes. 



STEER FEEDING EXPERIMENT, 1912-13. 



A smaller number of steers than usual were fed this past winter. Thirty-four 

 (34) grade Shorthorn steers were bought in November, dehorned and put up in feed- 

 ing lots on December 10. The plan of the experiment was the feeding of ten steers (six 

 heavy and medium fat and four of average weight and thin) on 50 per cent more meal 

 and roots than was fed the other twenty-four. Each steer received the same amount 

 of hay, which averaged for ninety days 15 pounds per steer per day. Beginning 

 December 16, lot' I was fed 60 pounds roots and 3 pounds meal per steer per day. On 

 account of making ready for an Easter market, the meal ration was increased rather 

 more rapidly than usual, so that by February 28 it reached 12 pounds per steer per 

 day. The root ration meanwhile was gradually dropped to 30 pounds per steer per 

 day. Lot II, during this time, received 50 per cent less meal and roots than lot I. 



A very satisfactory sale having been made for Easter delivery, this experiment 

 was concluded on March 15. 



Meal mixture consisted of bran, crushed oats and oil cake meal in proportions 

 of 2 : 2 : 1, and valued at 1| cents per pound. Eoots were valued at $2 per ton and 

 hay at $S per ton. 



