FOODS ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



83 



Pasture was charged at the rate of $1 per head per mouth. 

 The results of the experiment, which are given in tabular form, are 

 summarized in the following table: 



Results of feeding steers and heifers for beef. 



Average 

 . weight at 

 end of test. 



Pound*. 



Steers 1,388 



Open heifers | 1,300 



Spayed heifers 1, 337 



Average 

 daily gain 



per head 

 for entire 



period. 



Average | 



daily i;ain Dry matter 

 per head ! eaten per 



for 10 



months not 



on grass. 



Pounds. 

 1.71 

 1.86 

 1.70 



Pounds. 



2. 07 

 2. 26 



2.03 



pound 

 of gain. 



Pounds. 

 8.70 

 7.67 

 8.60 



A verage 

 cost of feed 



per pound 



Average 

 cost (if feed 



' P of P gain d 



10 months 

 not on 

 grass. 



Cents. 

 3.90 

 3.47 

 3.88 



for entire 

 period. 



Cents. 

 4.08 

 3.65 

 4.05 



The cattle were sold in Chicago. The steers brought .$4.50 and the 

 heifers $4.25 per hundred. The price received was in advance of that 

 paid for any other lot of cattle on the day of sale. The loss of weight 

 during transportation was 50 lbs. for the steers and 53 and 59 lbs. for 

 the spayed and open heifers, respectively. The animals were slaugh- 

 tered and the weights of the carcasses and of the offal, hides, flesh, 

 organs, etc., and the percentage that each formed of the whole carcass 

 were recorded . The carcasses were cut up and judged by an expert. 

 The weight and cost of each cut and the percentage of the whole car- 

 cass were determined. The percentage of highest-priced cuts, ribs, and 

 loins was greater in both lots of heifers than in the case of the steers. 

 The average cost of the beef to the firm purchasing the cattle was 6.51. 

 cts. for the steers, 6.21 cts. for the spayed heifers, and 6.14 cts. for the 

 open heifers. The average selling price received by them was 6.59 cts., 

 6.26 cts., and 6.24 cts., respectively. 



The following conclusions were drawn: 



"The heifers made a slightly greater average gain from correspondingly less feed, 

 and at less cost than the steers. . . . 



"The results of this experiment fully confirm the indications of the former work 

 at this station, viz, that the merits ami relative value of heifer beef have been 

 underestimated. . . . 



"Carefully conducted slaughter and block tests have not revealed any material 

 difference in the character, composition, or quality of the meat from the steers aud 

 heifers used iu these experiments. 



