274 PRODUCTIVE FEEDING OF FARM ANIMALS 



corn, and the corn is increased slowly until the steers are on full 

 feed. They will then eat 20 to 25 -pounds per head daily. If no 

 legume hay is available, a couple pounds per head daily of some 

 protein feed is fed with the grain, as wheat bran, linseed meal, 

 cottonseed cake, or gluten feed. Steers on full feed eat but little 

 hay, viz., less than 10 pounds daily. 



Cattle in the western States are generally fattened as three- or 

 four-year-olds on alfalfa alone. Immense numbers of steers raised 

 in Wyoming. Nevada, Texas, and other western and southwestern 

 States are fattened each year in 'the open valleys of the mountainous 

 States and in California, receiving no feed but alfalfa hay, fed 

 either long or cut (chopped). The cattle do not generally get fat 

 on this feed, but the gains made are relatively cheap. As these 

 cattle are fed in racks in open corrals, the gains which they make 

 are dependent, to a large extent, on the winter weather and the 

 condition, of the corrals, as well as on the quality of the steers and 

 of the feed supply. In case of muddy corrals and feed lots the 

 gains made by the steers will be greatly reduced ; this applies with 

 still more force to hogs with the steers. Paved or cement feed 

 lots, or at least feed bunks with wooden platforms, make a profit- 

 able investment. The necessary equipment for cattle feeding will 

 vary with the climate, and especially the rigor of the winter season. 

 Steers comfortably kept and receiving good care will yield greater 

 profits than those that have to shift more or less for themselves 

 and are exposed to the inclemency of the weather, without shelter 

 or protection from rains or snow, cold winds, or intense sunshine. 21 * 



Steers fed alfalfa only will eat 25 to 35 pounds of alfalfa hay 

 per head daily. Under favorable conditions good steers will gain 

 two to two and one-half pounds a day on this feed; the average 

 would, however, be likely to come below two pounds per head daily, 

 rather than above this figure. The steers go on the market weigh- 

 ing from 1000 to 1200 pounds, and have a dressing percentage of 

 56 to 60 per cent. There is a preference shown on the western 

 markets for medium steers weighing less than 1150 pounds. In the 

 vicinity of the western sugar factories wet or cured beet pulp is fed 

 mixed with chopped alfalfa hay. The common feeding period is 

 60 to 90 days, depending on the gains made and the condition of 

 the market. Grain is rarely fed to either these or alfalfa-fed 

 steers, as the market does not call for finished steers, that are as fat 

 as required by the central or eastern markets. Steers fed chopped 

 alfalfa hay and beet pulp will generally eat about 100 pounds pulp 

 . M. Bui. 91, 101; U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 588, 790. 



