186 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



husking, the cost of gains was the same. In 1906-07 this compari- 

 son was again made, though half of the corn was then fed on the 

 stalk. Here again the cost of production was practically the same, 

 being only 10 cents per hundred less for snapped corn. The feed- 

 ing of corn on the stalk in the morning with shelled corn and alfalfa 

 hay at night has proven to be a very economical system of beef 

 production. For such purposes corn which has been drilled a little 

 thicker than usual is best, because the ears are somewhat smaller. 

 It should not be planted so thick, however, that the yield of corn 

 will be reduced. By feeding corn fodder we utilize the stalk, and 

 at the same time are put to no extra labor husking it. In fact, 

 corn can be cut with a harvester and put in the shock cheaper than 

 it can be picked and cribbed. Three men with a team and har- 

 vester can cut and shock seven acres per day. Records from the 

 Farm Department of this Experiment Station show that it costs 

 $1.18 per acre to cut and shock corn, which figure does not allow 

 for wear and tear on the machine. Three cents per bushel should 

 cover the cost of harvesting the- corn by that method. 



THE USE OF LINSEED MEAL WITH CORN AND PRAIRIE HAY. 



On many farms alfalfa or clover is not available in sufficient 

 quantity to form even half of the roughness supplied fattening 

 cattle. Under these circumstances the use of some commercfal 

 protein concentrate would seem desirable. In order that this might 

 be given a practical test, three experiments were conducted in 

 which the ration corn and prairie hay was fed with and without 

 the protein concentrate linseed meal (oil-meal). The latter food 

 was m.ade but 10 per cent of the grain ration, because of its high 

 protein content and relative cost. As in all experiments described 

 in this bulletin, ten steers were fed in each lot : 



