304 EEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



To show the risk of loss in feeding such animals, we will see bow the 

 account stands at the end of ninety days : 



Dr. 



40 head of steers, 34,000 pounds, at 2 cents 6S0 GO 



Oil-meal, 7.200 pounds, at Ifcents 126 00 



Bran, 12,000 pounds, at f cents 90 00 



Corn-meal, 14,400 pounds, at 1 cent 144 00 



Hay 13,200 pounds, at f,T cents 79 20 



30 gallons molasses, at 30 cents 9 00 



1, 128 20 

 Cn. 

 By 40 steers, 37,050 pounds, at 3 cents 1,111 50 



Apparent loss, besides labor 16 70 



Cattle and beef at this time were very low, and it will be perceived that 

 the first ninety days had lost us all our apparent good bargain ; but these 

 animals were now better worth 3 cents per pound than 2 cents ninety- 

 days before. They were now, most of them, ready to make a thrifty gain 

 with the same good food and care. The ration of the last thirty days 

 was continued for the next sixty days. Everything now seemed favor- 

 able, and at the end of this period the leading ten head had gained 3 

 pounds live weight per day, twenty head had gained 2h pounds each per 

 day, and ten head two pounds per day. Here was an average gain of 

 of 2^ pounds per head, or 150 pounds in sixty days; a remarkable gain, 

 considering tbeir condition at the beginning. At this period twenty 

 head, averaging 1,150 pounds, were sold at 4 cents per pound, or $920. 



The account now stands : 



40 head, 3,705 pounds, cost $1,128 20 



Expense of keep last 60 days - 390 00 



1 518 20 



By 20 steers sold, 23,000 pounds, at 4 cents 920 00 



By 20 steers on hand, 20,050 pounds, 3^ cents 651 68 



1,571 62 

 Showing an apparent gain of 53 43 



The reader will have observed that this expense account does not 

 reckon the 32 tons of straw fed, which at any price would absorb more 

 than the apparent profit. But straw is seldom taken into the account, 

 the manure made from it being considered an equivalent. Tbe reader 

 will also pardon tbe effort to show a little profit in this case, as it is 

 evidently a desperate one, and requires strategy. 



Another point that tells in its favor is the high price of grain, com- 

 pared with the then low price of beef. But under these discouraging 

 circumstances, suppose the class of cattle had been better, had been as 

 good as these were after ninety days' feeding, and the price paid had 

 been 50 per cent, higher, or 3 cents per pound, the reader will see that 

 by feeding them ninety days, with a gain of 2i pounds each per day, 

 there would have been a substantial profit upon everything fed, leaving 

 the manure for tbe labor. And I should be quite willing to take a con- 

 tract to feed cattle in the most comfortable stable, furnish all the mate- 

 rial, and take all the labor requisite to the most approved method of 



