Factors in Steer Feeding. 



369 



all the animal can or will then eat constitutes the food of sup- 

 port, or is wasted. (595-6) 



564. Cost of gain increases with age. We have seen that the 

 daily gain possible with steers decreases as the age of the animal 

 increases. The results obtained at our Stations and the records 

 of the fat-stock shows teach that each pound of gain costs more 

 with increasing age, as illustrated in the following table: 



Cost of 100 pounds gain, live weight, with steers of different ages. 



1 Kept. 111. Bd. Agr., 1884. 2 Bui. 44. 8 Kept. 1886. * Kept. 1891. 



The table shows that in every instance the cost of gain with the 

 steer during the first twelve months of growth is less than for 

 later periods. At the Fat-Stock Show for 1882 the feed for 100 

 pounds of gain with steers up to twelve months cost $4.03; between 

 twelve and twenty-four months it was $7.98, while between twenty- 

 four and thirty-six months the cost reached $12.54. 



565. Cost of grain increases with length of fattening period. 

 Other conditions being equal, the longer the fattening period the 

 larger the quantity of feed required to produce a given gain. 

 This is brought out by Georgeson, of the Kansas Station, l who 

 found the grain required for 100 pounds of gain with fattening 

 steers for different periods to be as follows: 



Feed for Increase of 



100 Ibs. gain. feed required. 



Up to 56 days the steers required.. 730 pounds of grain 



Up to 84 days the steers required.. 807 pounds of grain. 10 per cent. 

 Up to 112 days the steers required.. 840 pounds of grain. 15 per cent. 

 Up to 140 days the steers required.. 901 pounds of grain. 23 per cent. 

 Up to 1(38 days the steers required.. 927 pounds of grain. 27 per cent. 

 Up to 182 days the steers required.. 1000 pounds of grain. 37 per cent. 



i Bui. 34. 

 24 



