372 



EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



corn silage for fattening cattle; to compare ground soy beans and cotton-seed 

 meal as sources of protein for supplementing rations for fattening cattle; and 

 to test the comparative value of clover hay and alfalfa hay as roughage for 

 fattening cattle. 



Seven lots of ten choice high-grade Shorthorn steers each, weighing approxi- 

 mately 1,000 lbs. per head, were fed from November 20, 1913, to May 14, 

 1914, with the results shown in the table following. Each lot contained ten 

 105-lb. hogs which were fed corn in addition to the droppings from the cattle, 

 and lots 1, 2, and 6 were fed a small quantity of shorts and tankage. 



Sumnmry of steer-feeding experiments. 



The addition of corn silage to rations of grain and leguminous hay slightly 

 increased the rate of gain made by the cattle, but had little effect on the finish 

 of the cattle. The substitution of oat straw for leguminous hay had little effect 

 other than a reduction in the cost of gain. Larger profits were secured from a 

 ration containing oat straw and a well-balanced ration containing corn silage 

 than when leguminous hay was fed instead of oat straw. 



Cattle fed ground soy beans in addition to corn, oat straw, and corn silage 

 maintained very eager appetites for three months but thereafter had very poor 

 appetites, while cattle fed cotton-seed meal maintained eager appetites for six 

 months. Ground soy beans had a laxative effect on the cattle. Cattle fed 

 ground soy beans as supplement did not gain as rapidly during the last three 

 months as others fed cotton-seed meal. The cattle fed ground soy beans were 

 value<l 10 cts. per hundred lbs. less than those fed cotton-seed meal. 



Cattle fed shelled corn, cotton-seed meal, and clover hay consumed a larger 

 quantity of grain and a smaller amount of hay than those fed shelled oora, cot- 

 ton-seed meal, and alfalfa hay. Cattle fed hay in connection with corn silage 

 and grain consumed a larger quantity of alfalfa than of clover hay. Cattle fed 

 clover hay as the only roughage or in combination with corn silage made fully 



