» 



# 



IMPORTANCE OF EFFICIENCY IN CATTLE FEEDING 

 -By L. F. Stlce, Extension Marketing Specialist 



Recently M. L. Mosher and F. J. Relss of this department released a report 

 on the cattle feeding projects of farmers in the Farm Bureau Farm Management Service . 

 One of the significant facts hrought out in this report was that for the feeding 

 period of 19^5 and 19^^ feeding efficiency was the most important factor in causing 

 variations in cattle feeding profits. Some droves of cisi-ttle returned low profits be- 

 cause of high feed costsi although the spread between the purchase and selling prices 

 was as much as $iv.00 to i5."00 per hundredweight. 



Some of the differences in costs of gains for similar kinds of cattle are 

 shown by the data below on several droves of cattle marketed during the first half of 

 19^5. According to these records, the costs of putting on 100 pounds of gain varied 

 from $lp.86 to $52.78 for lU- droves of good and choice steers, from $15.55 to $50.02 

 for 10 droves of common to medliim steers and from $ll4-.97 to $22.80 for lighter weight 

 common to medium steers. 



Number of Kind and weight of Feed costs per 100 lb. gain 

 droves cattle when bought Low High Average 



Ik Good-choice steers 



751 lb. & over $15.86 $52.78 $25.0? 

 10 CommDn-medlum steers 



751 lb. & over 15-55 50.02 20.Qk 

 k Common-medium steers 



501-750 lb. Ik. 91 22.80 18.56 



These data illustrate the Importance of Improved feeding prewtlcen and the 

 adaptation of feeding programs to available feed supplies and changing market condi- 

 tions. Under the present price program, emphasis is placed on the marketing of cat- 

 tle and at not too high a finish. The removal of price ceilings on beef emd subsidies 

 to slaughterers could change this situation for cattle marketed in the latter half of 

 19^*6. 



LFS:MD 

 10/15A5 



