464 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



The second line of the table shows that the feeders of the three higher 

 grades made noticeably more rapid gains than did the steers of the lower 

 grades. With the exception of Lot I, which was considerably younger, 

 the better-bred steers ate slightly more feed per 1,000 Ibs. live weight than 

 those of the lower grades. 



Lot I made by far the most economical gains, measured either by the 

 dry matter per 100 Ibs. gain or by the feed cost of gains, but this was 

 probably due, for the most part, to the fact that these steers were younger 

 than the others. With the other lots there is no consistent difference in 

 dry matter required per 100 Ibs. gain or in the feed cost of the gains. The 

 steers of the better grades yielded a higher percentage of dressed carcass 

 than those of the poorer grades. This was due to their beef conformation 

 and not to any greater degree of finish, for the steers in Lots IV, V, and 

 VI, which were older, were nearer their maximum degree of finish at the 

 end of the trial than the younger steers in Lots I, II, and III. The 

 better steers also had less internal fat but carried a heavier layer of 

 the more valuable surface fat. Tho the lower-grade feeders cost less 

 than the better-bred animals, they were worth correspondingly less when 

 fattened. 



On the market there is commonly considerable competition among 

 buyers for feeders of high quality, and hence they often command too 

 high a premium over the plainer feeders to make them the most profitable 

 for the purchaser. Furthermore, when fattened, the better steers will 

 often not command as great a premium per cwt. over the common steers 

 as they did before fattening. For these reasons in recent trials at 

 various stations, common steers have often made more profit than those of 

 better quality. 



In a trial by McCampbell and Winchester at the Kansas Station 25 a lot 

 of large, rough, uneven steers was fed in comparison with a lot of even, 

 well-made, smooth steers. The better-built steers made slightly larger 

 gains and their feed cost of 100 Ibs. gain was $1.21 less per 100 Ibs. than 

 for the rough steers. At the end of the 178-day trial the better steers 

 sold for 50 cents per cwt. more. Taking into consideration all factors, 

 the smooth steers were worth only 64 cents per cwt. more as feeders than 

 the steers of better type. 



Quite similar results were secured in Pennsylvania in a comparison of 

 choice feeders and medium feeders by Tomhave, Bentley, and Irving. 26 

 In this trial the cost of gain was practically the same for both lots. The 

 medium feeders cost $1.25 less per cwt. than the better steers and when 

 fattened sold for only 70 cents per cwt. less. Hence the commoner steers 

 were more profitable. In a Nebraska trial by Gramlich 27 choice feeders 

 gained 2.31 Ibs. a head daily at a feed cost per 100 Ibs. gain of only $8.08, 

 while plain steers gained only 1.95 Ibs. and each 100 Ibs. gain cost $9.73. 

 However the cost per cwt. of the plain steers was $1.50 less than for the 



25 Kan. Cir. 92. ^Information to the authors. 



^Information to the authors. 



