FATTENING STEERS ON GRASS. 163 



day during the intervening period. A change of this kind 

 does not allow the grass to get any start whatever, especially 

 early in the season, thus more acreage is required to furnish 

 abundant feed during periods of dry weather. 



It is very doubtful as to whether it pays to feed young 

 animals or animals which have not previously had much 

 grain much, if any while the supply of grass is abundant. 

 This is especially true of animals which are not intended for 

 the early fall market. Tests made by the Iowa Experiment 

 Station along this line, where two bunches of cattle of equal 

 quality were allowed the run of equal areas of good blue 

 grass pasture, one receiving grain in addition, and the other 

 lot on grass alone, would lead us to believe that practically 

 as heavy, and much more economical gains, can be secured 

 from grass alone as from a ration of grain in addition to 

 grass during those months when grass is plentiful. During 

 the hot, dry months, a small ration of corn was found to be 

 very helpful. This will be governed to a certain extent by 

 the supply of grass. If the grass is short some grain can 

 be fed to advantage. The preparation of corn for cattle on 

 grass is an important point. When cattle are changed from 

 dry feed to grass their mouths soon indicate a tenderness 

 that makes the dry, hard corn difficult of mastication. This 

 calls for preparation of some kind. Many advocate the grind- 

 ing of the corn. In our experience shelled corn which has 

 been soaked for about twelve hours has given the best satis- 

 faction. The shelled corn which passes through the animal 

 undigested is more likely to be utilized by the hogs which 

 follow the cattle. Where there are no hogs to follow the 

 cattle and corn is high in price it should always be ground, 

 as this will save about twelve per cent. Thus the price of 

 corn will determine the advisability of grinding the same. 



Cattle on grass should be fed grain but once a day, and 

 that always in the evening. The advantages of feeding in 

 the evening are that the cattle being full of grass then will 

 consume the soaked shelled corn more leisurely than when 

 the stomach is empty. They soon lie down and rumination 

 commences and is far more effective on the corn when the 

 stomach is full of grass. Careful observation leads us to be- 

 lieve that less undigested corn is found in the droppings 

 when the cattle are fed on full stomachs in the evening than 

 when they are fed on empty stomachs in the morning. 



