RESULTS OF THE EXPERIMENT 



Extreme care was exercised in planning and conducting the 

 experiment to secure results which would be reliable and accurate for 

 the different lots. The weighing of the feeds and the animals was as 

 thorough and uniform as possible. The results of the experiment and 

 the following discussion are based on these weights. 



ALFALFA HAY COMPARED WITH ALFALFA HAY AND 



SILAGE 



A few years ago, when alfalfa hay cost $5 to SlO per ton, it was 

 often used as an exclusive ration for fattening cattle. Since 1918 the 

 price of this feed has increased greatly, and now feeders are endeavor- 

 ing to secure a more effective ration than alfalfa hay alone. Many 

 silos have been constructed in the State, and feeders wish to know if 

 silage when added to alfalfa hay will make larger and more economical 

 gains. 



Two lots of steers containing six animals each were used for this 

 test. Lot I was given all the alfalfa hay they would eat, and Lot II 

 allowed all the alfalfa hay and silage they cared for. The steers were 

 fed twice a day. In Table VI is given a summary of the results giv- 

 ing a comparison of the weights, gains, average daily rations, feeds 

 required per pound gain, nutrients required per 100 pounds gain, 

 cost of 100 pounds gain, and the total cost of the animals, their value 

 and profit at the end of the test in Table VI. 



At the beginning of the test, the six steers in Lot I averaged 2 

 pounds heavier than those in Lot 11. During the 77 days the steers 

 fed on alfalfa hay alone gained 107 pounds per head, while those fed 

 on alfalfa hay and silage gained 184 pounds per head. The average 

 daily gain was only 1.40 pounds per head in Lot I, and 2.39 pounds 

 in Lot II. Not one of the steers in Lot I gained as much as the 

 lightest steer gained in Lot II. This shows that the addition of silage 

 to alfalfa hay made the animals gain more rapidly. Steers fed on 

 alfalfa hay alone will gain an average of about 1.40 pounds per head 

 daily during the first 11 weeks. On the other hand, if silage is added 

 to a ration of alfalfa hay, they will gain almost a pound more daily. 

 This increased gain in the lot where the steers were allowed all the 

 silage they cared for in addition to alfalfa hay means the difference 

 between rapid and slow gains. The steers in Lot I gained slowly and 

 would have required a long feeding period to finish, while the steers 

 in Lot II made what would be considered medium gains. 



