37 



PART I. 

 Wintering The Cattle. 



As previously stated, the steers were bought in the fall 

 of the year as they could then be secured cheaper than at 

 any other date. In fact, in western Alabama where the 

 work was done, the cattle could not be purchased in the 

 spring at all. The object was to get these steers through 

 the winter months as economically as possible and fatten 

 them on pasture the following summer. Farmers are not 

 agreed as to what is the best way to handle and feed mature 

 steers during the winter months. Some farmers claim that 

 the animals should be "roughed" through the winter upon 

 a very small amount of feed in addition to the winter range; 

 some hold that the range needs no supplementary feed at 

 all ; still others believe that the steer should be fed liberally 

 so that he will be kept gaining all through the winter 

 months. * 



The cattle used in tlie winter work were dehorned, tagged, 

 and divided into lots (Three lots in the winter of 1907-'08, 

 and four lots in the winter of 1908-'09) so that a study 

 could be made of the amount of feed that should be fed 

 during the winter time, and also to learn the value of some 

 of the Southern feeds for carrying cattle through the cold 

 months. 



Gains during the Winter Months. 



The winters of 1907-'0S and 1908-'09 were both mild ones. 

 There was no weather cold enough to make the steers suffer, 

 although, as before mentioned, there was no shelter at all, 

 except a few trees. The following table shows the ration 

 fed, total w^eights, and gains of each lot for the two winters : 



, :], h.^ ■••l• 



