FEEDS FOR BEEF CATTLE 485 



beans were relished by the steers, they proved fully equal to cottonseed 

 meal, but after this they were less efficient. (256) 



Soybean oil meal is an excellent protein-rich supplement for cattle, 

 being considerably richer in protein than linseed meal or soybeans, and, 

 having 110 tendency to throw the animals off feed, for most of the oil has 

 been removed. In a trial by Hostetler at the North Carolina Station 86 

 soybean oil meal proved slightly superior to cottonseed meal when fed 

 with corn silage and corn stover. (257) 



755. Soybeans, cowpeas, and corn. In the southern states it is possible 

 to grow a winter crop of small grain and harvest it in time to plant 

 soybeans, cowpeas, or corn, thus securing 2 crops each year from the 

 same land. During 7 years various crops have been grown on different 

 acres at the Tennessee Station 67 by Willson and fed to steers, to determine 

 the amount of beef produced per acre under the different systems of 

 cropping. In addition to the product from the given acre, the steers were 

 each fed 20 Ibs. of corn silage per head daily. The manure resulting 

 from the crops on each acre was returned thereto. 



Of the various combination crops, an acre on which soybeans were 

 grown for grain and stover, with barley as a winter grain crop, pro- 

 duced the largest amount of beef per acre, 508 Ibs. per acre. Cowpeas 

 yielded much less grain and stover and produced less beef per acre. An 

 acre on which were grown corn for grain and stover, with barley as the 

 winter crop, made considerably less beef per acre than the soybean acre, 

 due in no small measure to the unbalanced nature of the ration of corn 

 grain, corn stover, corn silage, and barley grain. Alfalfa, tested for 5 

 years, slightly surpassed even soybeans. The returns from these acres 

 well illustrate the possibilities of the South for beef production in a 

 system whereby more than a single crop is grown each year. (262) 



756. Wheat bran. This bulky feed, which is only fairly rich in protein, 

 is often used mixed with corn or other grain in starting cattle on feed. 

 In some districts it is commonly used as the supplement for fattening 

 cattle thruout the feeding period. Because it is much lower in protein 

 than linseed meal or cottonseed meal, much more must be fed to balance 

 the ration. Due to the bulky nature of bran and its low energy value, 

 steers make less rapid gains and do not reach as high a finish when bran 

 is fed as when linseed or cottonseed meal is used as the supplement. 

 Therefore, if bran is fed at the beginning of the fattening period, it is 

 usually best to replace it with a richer supplement when the steers are 

 on full feed. (218) 



In 3 trials at the Pennsylvania Station 68 by Tomhave, Severson, and 

 Gerlaugh, the common Pennsylvania ration of wheat bran, corn, mixed 

 hay and corn stover proved decidedly inferior to one of corn, cottonseed 

 meal, mixed hay, and corn silage, undoubtedly due in large part to the 

 substitution of silage for the stover. Wheat bran at $25.00 a ton was 



66 N. C. Exten. Farm News, 4, 1918, No. 23. "Penn. Buls. 133, 145. 



'"Term. Bui. 114. 



