GENERAL PROBLEMS IN BEEP PRODUCTION 457 



shelled corn. From the data given in the table, the cost with feeds at 

 local prices can readily be computed. For example, with corn at 56 cents 

 a bushel, cottonseed or linseed meal at $50 a ton, hay at $15 a ton, and 

 silage at $5 a ton, each 100 Ibs. gain would cost $11.21 for the steers fed 

 no shelled corn, and $11.86 for those full-fed on corn. 



Other factors are fully as important as the cost of the gains in deciding 

 the financial outcome. Much more pork is produced by the pigs following 

 full-fed steers than when no shelled corn is fed the cattle. Furthermore, 

 the full-fed steers reach a better finish and hence bring a higher price 

 on the market. There was not, however, as much difference in the 

 actual selling price in these trials as most experienced cattlemen would 

 have predicted. In fact, the "no corn" steers brought only 72 cents 

 less per cwt. than the others. In several of the trials carried on when 

 corn was high in price, the cost of the gains of the "no corn" steers 

 was enough lower to offset the smaller amount of pork and the lower 

 selling price of the steers. Consequently a larger profit was made when 

 no corn grain was fed in addition to that in the silage. 



Trials have been carried on by Tomhave and colleagues at the Pennsyl- 

 vania Station 11 which have been similar except that corn stover has 

 usually been fed in place of hay. In 6 trials carried on from 1915 to 

 1922 the "no corn" steers gained 2.12 Ibs. a head daily on the average 

 and sold for $10.21 per cwt. Steers fed in addition a liberal feed of 

 corn grain gained only 0.10 Ib. more a head daily on the average and 

 brought only 16 cents more per cwt. on the market. In all but one trial 

 the return per steer, including the profit from the pigs following, was 

 greater for the "no corn" cattle. 



These trials show clearly that cattle can be fattened sufficiently to 

 sell quite well on the large markets by feeding merely corn silage, hay or 

 other dry roughage, and a little cottonseed or linseed meal to balance the 

 ration. When corn is high in price compared with other feeds, probably 

 for 2-year-old steers such a ration will usually return a greater profit 

 than if a heavy allowance of corn grain is fed in addition. On the other 

 hand, in the corn belt with feeds at pre-war prices or at prices current 

 since 1921, the most profit will usually be made if an allowance of corn 

 is fed in addition to that in the silage. 



Another important factor to consider in deciding whether to feed corn 

 grain in addition to that in the silage, is the probable difference in 

 selling price per cwt. there will be for cattle thoroly finished on a 

 liberal allowance of concentrates, and for those only fairly well fleshed. 

 If it seems likely that there will be little premium for well fattened 

 cattle, little grain should be fed unless it is very cheap in price. Calves 

 fed for baby beef should always receive grain in addition to that in the 

 silage (818-9), and yearlings are not as well suited to a "no corn" ration 

 as 2-year-olds. 



"Information to the authors. 



