168 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



ing period, by 23 per cent of the Missouri feeders, 31 per cent of 

 the Iowa feeders, and 22 per cent of the Illinois feeders, or an 

 average of 25 per cent of all those interviewed. 



Corn and Cob Meal — It is a significant fact that only 47 out of 

 the 726 Missouri feeders interviewed, or 6.3 per cent, reported that 

 they crushed their corn exclusively. Of the 90 Iowa feeders inter- 

 viewed, 2 so reported, and of the 36 Illinois feeders, 4, making a 

 total of 53 out of 852, or 6.2 per cent of all the feeders interviewed. 



Corn Meal — That the feeders consider that they have not found 

 it profitable to put much effort into the preparation of feed is still 

 more stirkingly shown by the fact that only 24 Missouri feeders, 

 out of a total of 726, reported feeding corn meal ; only 4 out of 

 90 Iowa feeders so reported, whereas none of the 36 Illinois feed- 

 ers followed this practice. This means that 28 out of 582, or 3.2 

 per cent of all the feeders interviewed, grind corn, as a regular 

 practice, for their cattle. 



Taking all of those who reported the use of crushed or ground 

 corn, either exclusively or at some special season of the year, or 

 at some time in the fattening process, or with some classes of cat- 

 tle, it was found that but 14.7 per cent of the Missouri feeders, 12.2 

 per cent of the Iowa feeders, and 22.2 per cent of the Illinois feed- 

 ers follow this practice. 



Soaked Corn — It will be noted that a considerable number re- 

 port in favor of soaking the corn instead of crushing or grinding 

 it. Necessarily this practice is limited to spring, summer, or early 

 fall feeding, as it is not feasible either to soak corn or to feed 

 soaked corn in freezing weather. The results of some experiments 

 conducted at the Kansas Station, while not conclusive, indicate that 

 soaking was about as effective as grinding for cattle. If this be 

 true, soaking must commend itself on account of requiring less ex- 

 pense than grinding, either of equipment necessary to perform the 

 operation or of labor. 



It frequently happens in summer feeding that the ear corn 

 becomes so dry and hard that the cattle will not eat enough to make 

 good gains. This is especially true when one is feeding a variety of 

 corn with rough grains, closely compacted on a hard cob. In this 

 case the corn must either be shelled, crushed or soaked. On many 

 farms the soaking is the cheapest and easiest of the three opera- 

 tions and is perhaps quite as effective as either of the others if care- 

 fully done. Every precaution must be taken to feed it perfectly 

 sweet, to keep the troughs cleaned out, and to change the water 

 frequently. The customary length of time to soak corn is 12 to 



