PLAN OF THE EXPERIMENT 



The Agricultural Experiment Station conducted a cattle-feeding 

 test during the winter of 1920 at the Salt River Valley Farm. Little 

 has been done, heretofore, to study the various phases associated with 

 this industry. 



The object of the steer-feeding trials was to obtain information 

 relating to the problems of feeding these animals. The effect of the 

 various rations was one of the aims. These rations were so planned 

 that common feeds in the district could be studied. Since a large 

 number of steers are fed on alfalfa hay alone, one of the lots was given 

 this feed for a ration. Two of the lots were not given any alfalfa 

 hay, five lots were given silage, and four cottonseed meal. The 

 detailed objects of the experiment from the standpoint of the rations 

 alone were: (I) To compare alfalfa hay with a ration of alfalfa hay 

 and silage; (II) To compare silage and alfalfa hay with silage and 

 cottonseed meal, and also to compare these two rations together 

 forming one of silage, alfalfa hay, and cottonseed meal; (III) to com- 

 pare the addition of alfalfa hay to a basal ration of silage and cotton- 

 seed meal with the addition of ground milo maize; and (IV) to deter- 

 mine the effect of adding alfalfa hay to a basal ration of silage, cotton- 

 seed meal, and ground milo maize. Other secondary considerations 

 included: (1) the amount of feed cattle will consume; (2) rate of 

 gains made by steers; (3) feed required per pound gain; (4) dry matter, 

 total digestible nutrients, and therms consumed per hundred pounds 

 gain; (5) cost of gains in live weight; (6) the margin in cattle feeding; 

 (7) length of time required to finish cattle for market; (8) the dressed 

 percentage of cattle as affected by the different rations; (9) kind of 

 cattle to feed; (10) shrinkage in shipping fat cattle, and other matters 

 of general interest. 



ANIMALS USED 



Thirty-six steers were selected for the experiment. Twenty- 

 seven of these were polled, being out of native cows, mostly Holsteins, 

 and sired by a Polled Shorthorn bull. The remaining nine were 

 high-grade Holsteins. All the animals were raised in the Salt River 

 Valley and were in good pasture condition averaging 889 pounds, 

 and about 30 months old. The steers had been maintained on alfalfa 

 pasture, but some of them were accustomed to eating hay. These 

 cattle were divided into six lots of six steers each. Each lot was 

 made as nearly alike as possible in size, condition, age, previous treat- 



