GENERAL PROBLEMS IN BEEP PRODUCTION 467 



the mastication, digestion, and assimilation of the food to keep them 

 warm under all ordinary weather conditions without diminishing the 

 amount of net nutrients available for fattening. A reasonable degree 

 of cold is a benefit rather than a detriment, providing the coats of the 

 animals are kept dry. However, the loss of heat in the evaporation of 

 the water from a wet skin, coupled with that by radiation, may be so 

 great that a portion of the food nutrients is burned up merely to keep 

 the animal warm. 



Feeding in open yards with no shelter other than windbreaks is 

 common in western sections with little rainfall, even in regions with rig- 

 orous winters. In experiments at the Manitoba Experimental Farm 34 

 steers fattened with no shelter except trees and brush made nearly as 

 large gains as others fed in the barn, providing a convenient supply of 

 water was furnished. 



In trials by Potter and Withycombe in eastern Oregon 35 calves and 2- 

 y ear-olds fed in the open with only a fence and windbreaks for shelter 

 made about as large and economical gains as others having access to an 

 open shed or a barn. 



For humid regions with severe winters an open shed should be pro- 

 vided where the animals may find shelter from storms. Where the 

 winters are mild the saving thru providing shelter may not be great 

 enough to warrant the expense. Gray and Ward 36 found in Alabama 

 that steers fattened in the open in winter made practically as large gains 

 as those allowed access to an open shed. Shelter saved only 6 cents per 

 100 Ibs. of gain in the cost of feed. 



From his trials Waters at the Missouri Station 37 concludes : ' ' It is of 

 more importance that fattening animals lie down regularly and during 

 a large portion of the time than that they be protected from the cold. 

 Abundance of sunshine and fresh air, a comfortable place in which to 

 lie, and freedom from all external disturbances are ideal conditions for 

 large and economical gains." 



Stock cattle being carried over winter are not crowded with heavy 

 rations and hence no great excess of heat is generated in their bodies. 

 The loss of heat by radiation is greater in young animals, for the body 

 surface is larger in proportion to the weight. Yearlings or calves, 

 especially, may hence well be given greater protection than fattening 

 steers, but their quarters should always be well-ventilated. Waters 

 found that yearlings wintered on hay alone or with a small allowance of 

 corn in addition came thru in better condition when housed in an amply 

 ventilated barn and turned out for exercise than when kept in a yard 

 with an open shed. Under usual conditions mature beef breeding cows 

 when in thrifty condition in the fall need no winter shelter other than 

 an open shed. 



"Ottawa Expt. Farms Rpts. 1910, 1911, 1912. 8T Mo. Bui. 76. 



^Ore. Bui. 183. 



M U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Anim. Indus., Bui. 159. 



