General Discussion 383 



in Lot IV was 1.65 pounds of alfalfa hay, 23.78 pounds of silage, and 

 1.04 pounds of cottonseed meal. In Lot V 21.45 pounds of silage, 

 1.08 pounds of cottonseed meal, and 2.32 pounds of ground milo maize 

 were required to make a pound of gain. Lot VI required 1.60 pounds 

 of alfalfa hay, 19.43 pounds of silage, 1.07 pounds of cottonseed meal 

 and 2.32 pounds of ground milo maize to make a pound of gain. 



DRY MATTER, TOTAL DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENTS, AND 

 THERMS CONSUMED PER 100 POUNDS GAIN 

 Lot I consumed the largest amount of dry matter and total 

 digestible nutrients as well as the greatest number of therms for 100 

 pounds gain, the amount being 1869.29 pounds dry matter, 1055.00 

 pounds total digestible nutrients, and 700.00 therms. This lot re- 

 ceived distinctly more of the constituents required to make gains 

 than any of the other lots. Lot VI ranked the next highest, averag- 

 ing 893.98 pounds of dry matter, 605.62 pounds of digestible nutrients 

 and 669.88 therms. In total dry matter Lot III was the third highest, 

 but in the other constituents Lot V ranked decidedly ahead of Lot 

 III. Lot 1 1. consumed slightly more dry matter than Lot IV, but in 

 total digestible nutrients and therms required to produce 100 pounds 

 of gain Lot II was the most efficient in the experiment. It is interest- 

 ing to note that less than half as much dry matter or digestible nu- 

 trients were required to make 100 pounds of gain in Lot II as in 

 Lot I. There seems to be a close association between the rate of gains 

 and the amount of nutrients required to produce them. The rule is 

 that steers gaining most rapidly require relatively smaller amounts 

 of nutrients to make gains than the animals that increase slowly in 

 weight. A slight tendency was observed in lots receiving relatively 

 larger proportions of concentrates to require more nutrients to make 

 gains. 



COST OF GAINS IN LIVE WEIGHT 

 The cost of making 100 pounds of gain in the steers varies from 

 $12.58 in Lot II to $25.63 in Lot I. Thus gain was produced in Lot 

 II at about half the cost of gain in Lot I. The other four lots varied 

 from $15.73 in Lot IV to $20.30 in Lot VI. Lot III cost $18.03 to 

 make 100 pounds of gain, and Lot V $19.18. Several factors seem 

 to have a pronounced effect upon the cost of gain. The first un- 

 doubtedly was the cost of the different feeds. Alfalfa hay was very 

 expensive when fed in large amounts. Cottonseed meal and milo 

 maize also seemed to be more expensive than silage. The rate of 



