794 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Fattening steers, T. Shaw {MimirKota Sla. Bid. 76, pp. 335-365). — Several prob- 

 ieuis connected with the fattening of steers were studied in the 3 feeding tests 

 reported. The first trial, covering 140 days and divided into 5 periods of 4 weeks 

 each, was carried on during the winter with 3 lots each containing 2 steers. Those 

 in lot 1, according to the author, possessed "what may be termed a fairly good beef 

 form." Those in lot 3 were large and somewhat rangy, i. e., they were not of the 

 type most suitable for fattening, while those in lot 2 were intermediate in type. The 

 steers weighed about 1,100 lbs. each. The 3 lots were fed the same mixture of bran, 

 ground barley, and ground corn, with oil cake in additioii during the last 3 periods. 

 They were also fed 20 lbs. of corn silage per head daily and all the hay they would 

 eat up clean. The average daily gain was: Lot 1 (beef type), 1.62 lbs.; lot 2 (rangy 

 steers), 1.61; and lot 3 (intermediate type), 1.72 lbs.; and the cost of a pound of 

 gain was 4.8 cts., 4.49 cts., and 4.9 cts., respectively. Practically the same amount 

 of feed was eaten per head per day by all the steers. The estimated profit was $8.41, 

 15.04, and $3.21, respectively. 



"In this experiment the steers of the approved meat-producing types did not 

 show any superior capacity to make increase over those possessed of more or less 

 undesirable form, though similarly bred. Notwithstanding [this fact], there is 

 more i)rofit in finishing steers of the approved types, owing to the greater value 

 relatively of the finished product. 



" It is extremely i)robable there is also less profit in growing animals of undesirable 

 types up to the fattening period, because of their smaller value relatively when thus 

 far grown. The greater value of steers of the approved type as compared with 

 those opposite in character and possessed of essentially similar blood is owing to the 

 superior value of the meat in the carcass rather than to greater power to make 

 increase." 



In the second test a lot of 5 steers was fetl for 84 days (6 periods of 2 weeks each) 

 what the author regards as a forcing ration, and a second lot of 5 steers was fed for 

 140 days (5 periods of 4 weeks each) a ration containing the same kinds of feed but 

 in different proportions, the object being to study the relative merits of long and 

 short feeding periods. The grain ration of both lots consisted of bran, ground corn, 

 and oil cake, the proportion varying in the different lots and in the different periods. 

 At the beginning of the trial it was planned to feed 10 lbs. of grain per head daily to 

 the steers in lot 1, and increase the amount to 20 lbs. during the last period. It was 

 further planned to feed 8 lbs. of grain at the beginning to lot 2 and increase the 

 amount to 12 lbs. at the close. All the steers were also fed as much timothy hay 

 and clover as they would eat and in addition for 42 days they were given 20 lbs. of 

 corn silage per head per day. It was found that the steers in lot 1 could not con- 

 sume the full allowance of grain. On the other hand, the animals in lot 2 ate all the 

 grain supplied, but "as they suffered somewhat from scouring while the silage was 

 being fed to them, this of course hindered the gains that would otherwise have been 

 made." 



In the 12 weeks they were fed the steers in lot 1 consumed 14.2 lbs. of grain, 10.3 

 lbs. of hay, and 8.6 lbs. of silage per head daily. In the same time those in lot 2 ate 

 N.9 U)s. of grain, 11.1 lbs. of hay, and 8.4 lbs. of silage. During the remainder of the 

 time they were fed tlie average amount of grain eaten was 11.5 lbs. iier head and the 

 hay 15.7 lbs. At the beginning of the trial the steers in lot 1 weighed 1,153 lbs. on 

 an average and those in lot 2 weighed 1,212 l)>s. The average daily gain per head 

 in lot 1 was 1.3 lbs. and in lot 2 it was 1.4 lbs. The cost of a pound of gain in lot 

 1 (fed the forcing ration for a short period) was 8.9 cts. In the case of lot 2 the 

 cost of a pound of gain for a corresponding period was 5.82 cts., or for the test as a 

 whole 6.19 cts. The steers were sold for slaughtering, th-e profit in the 2 lots being 

 $3.25 and $10.02 per steer. 



According to the author, when steers were fed a forcing ration of grain for a short 

 period the increase in weight was not proportional to the amount eaten owing to the 



