20 The Bulletin. 



cattle to be in much better market condition. The cotton-seed-hulls-fed 

 cattle did not show the sleek, smooth condition of skin and hair charac- 

 teristic of well-finished animals. The supposition that cattle fed corn 

 silage shrink abnormally in transit was not borne out by the data ob- 

 tained on these steers. While the cattle were not divided in the cars the 

 same as they were fed in the pens, the average net shrink was only 45 

 pounds per head between Statesville, N. C, and Richmond, Va. Con- 

 sidering that they were on the road sixty hours, a lighter shrink would 

 not have been anticipated even on cattle fed entirely on dry roughage 



feed. 



COMPARATIVE FINISH OBTAINED. 



At the time these cattle were placed on feed one representative steer 

 was taken from each lot and slaughtered to determine the condition of 

 the animals. This was for the purpose of getting photographs and also 

 for making a study of the admixture of flesh and fat. The condition of 

 these two animals in this respect is brought out in the table descriptions 

 and photographs of the cuts herein shown. 



INITIAL AND FINAL SLAUGHTER DATA. 



The two representative steers used to determine the initial slaughtered 

 condition of the two lots of cattle weighed 1,820 pounds after a drive of 

 17 miles to Asheville, N. C, where they were slaughtered. After arriv- 

 ing at Asheville, Steer 1 weighed 820 pounds and Steer 2 weighed 890 

 pounds, or a total of 1,710 pounds. This showed a total shrink of 110 

 pounds from the farm to the slaughter-pens. 



Steer 1 was blocky and in average condition of flesh. The animal was 

 reasonably representative of the steers in Lot 1 fed cotton-seed meal and 

 cotton-seed hulls. Steer 2 was somewhat more rangy, with less condition 

 than Steer 1. This favored condition, however, is always provided in 

 an experiment where it is necessary to deal with comparisons. While 

 an average of these dressing percentages was used, the steer representing 

 the cotton-seed-hulls-fed cattle had the advantage in the beginning over 

 the one representing the corn-silage-fed cattle. 



These two steers were slaughtered on November 8, the day following 

 their arrival at the slaughter-house. This was five days later than the 

 inauguration of the experimental work at the State Test Farm. The 

 dressing percentages are based on the live weights taken the same morn- 

 ing the steers were slaughtered. Before slaughtering, the judges of these 

 animals made a difference of one-fourth of a cent per pound in favor of 

 Steer 1. After slaughtering, however, there was a greater difference 

 than anticipated, owing to the greater amount of outside and internal 

 fat on Steer 1. The meat of both steers had a bright red color and a 

 good texture. However, Steer 1 was considered to be worth one-half cent 

 per pound more live weight than Steer 2, owing largely to the amount 

 and condition of the fat covering. 



