Feeding Cotton Seed 489 



lots, but the condition of the animals in this lot was more nearly rep- 

 resentative of the entire number than was that of Lot I. 



The cattle in Lot II made an average daily gain of 2.58 pounds, 

 or j7 pound less than the animals fed cottonseed meal in Lot V, and 

 .13 pound less than those fed cottonseed meal in Lot I. The better 

 condition of the steers in Lot I accounts for the small difference in 

 gains compared with Lot II, because the cotton seed fed steers natur- 

 ally took on a greater fill, due to their poorer condition. 



Further comparisons of Lots II and V, receiving the cotton seed 

 and cottonseed meal, respectively, indicate that less feed was required 

 per 100 pounds in Lot V and at a cost difference of seven cents. 



The steers receiving cottonseed meal in Lots I and V produced a 

 better finish and made a better gain and a higher dressing percentage, 

 averaging 56.85 per cent, as compared with I^ot II with 53.6 per cent. 



Lot II receiving alfalfa hay, silage and whole cotton seed made an 

 average daily gain of 2.58 pounds per head. Lot III, receiving the 

 same ration, except that the seed was crushed, gained 2.41 pounds per 

 head daily. The cost and amount of feed required per 100 pounds 

 were practically equal in both lots. 



The steers in Lot IV, fed silage and cottonseed meal, made an 

 average daily gain per head of 3.02 pounds as compared with Lot VI, 

 receiving cottonseed hulls and cottonseed meal, which made a daily 

 gain of 2.41 pounds per head. The silage fed steers gained .61 pound 

 more per head daily at a feed cost of only sixty-three cents more per 

 100 pounds gain, and gave a much smoother finish with only a small 

 difference in dressing percentage. The steers in Lot VI required 823.5 

 pounds cottonseed hulls to produce 100 pounds gain, which is one- 

 half the weight of silage consumed per 100 pounds gain in Lot IV. 

 This amount of silage and hulls cost $6.70 and $4.94 respectively at 

 current prices. The hull fed steers consumed 192 pounds of cotton- 

 seed meal per 100 pounds gain, or 36 pounds more than the silage fed 

 steers required per 100 pounds gain. Since the allowance of cotton- 

 seed meal was the same in Lots IV and VI, the difference in favor of 

 Lot IV must be attributed to the silage. During the last ten days of 

 the feeding period the hull fed steers became unthrifty and their 

 normal rate of gain decreased. 



