FEEDS FOR BEEF CATTLE 505 



In trials by Day and by Blair in Canada 125 corn silage was worth con- 

 siderably more per ton than roots for fattening cattle, due to the fact that 

 roots are much more watery than silage. When only a few pounds per 

 head daily of roots are fed to cattle as an appetizer, they may be worth as 

 much, pound for pound, as corn silage. 126 



785. Sweet potatoes, cassava, Japanese cane. In some sections of the 

 southern states these crops are of importance for beef production. In a 

 trial at the Florida Station 127 steers fed 35 Ibs. of either sweet potatoes 

 or of cassava roots with 10 Ibs. of cowpea hay and 4 Ibs. of cottonseed 

 meal made satisfactory and economical gains. Scott 128 found that some 

 dry roughage should be fed with sweet potatoes, as otherwise they are too 

 laxative. In another trial by Scott 129 930-lb. steers fed an average of 21.3 

 Ibs. Japanese cane, 7.3 Ibs. corn, and 4.2 Ibs. cottonseed meal gained 1.6 

 Ibs. per head daily for 90 days, requiring 698 Ibs. of concentrates and 

 1,298 Ibs. of Japanese cane for 100 Ibs. gain. 



786 British system of fattening cattle. The great value of succulence 

 in reducing the amount of high-priced concentrates needed to fatten 

 cattle is well shown in the extensive compilation by Ingle 130 of all the 

 cattle-feeding trials carried on in Great Britain between the years 1835 

 and 1908 201 in number. From this report the following examples 

 are chosen as broadly illustrating the British system of fattening beef 

 cattle. 



Rations used by British farmers in beef production 



Initial Daily Total gain 

 weight gain per het 

 fed Lbs. Lbs. Lba. 



Shorthorns, 2 to 5 years old, fed 98 days 



Swedes, 171 Ibs. Linseed cake, 2.4 Ibs. 



Straw, 14 Ibs. Corn meal, 2.0 Ibs 4 1,305. 3.0 292 



Irish yearlings, fed 112 days 



Turnips, 50 Ibs. Cottonseed cake, 3.6 Ibs. 



Oat straw, 8.4 Ibs. Dried brewers' grains, 5.8 Ibs 10 942 .2 1.3 149 



Irish 2-year-olds, fed 183 days 



Roots, 112.0 Ibs. 



Hay and straw, 8.0 Ibs. Linseed cake, 8.7 Ibs 4 1,030 .4 2.1 280 



Aberdeen- Angus, fed 112 days 



Mangels, 108.8 Ibs. 



Oat straw, 8.0 Ibs. Cottonseed cake, 3.0 Ibs 6 947. 6 1.9 211 



Galloways, 2 to 3 years old, fed 100 days 



Swedes, 150.0 Ibs. 



Oat straw, 7.0 Ibs. No concentrates 3 933 . 1.4 143 



Irish 3-year-olds, fed 88 days 



Pasture Cottonseed cake, 2.8 Ibs. 



Corn meal, 2.8 Ibs 10 876.2 3.7 322 



Shorthorn 3-year-olds, fed 123 days 



Swedes, 40.5 Ibs. Cottonseed cake, 5.0 Ibs. 



Hay, 16.2 Ibs. Linseed cake, 3.0 Ibs. 



Barley, 1.0 Ib 8 1,178.4 2.4 294 



123 Day, Ont. Agr. Col., Rpts.1901, 1902; Blair, Rpt. Dominion Expt. Farms, 1917, 

 p. 72. 



126 Wilson, S. D. Bui. 137. 129 Fla. Rpt. 1912. 



m Fla. Rpt. 1901. "Trans. Highl. and Agr. Soc. of Scotland, 1909. 



Rpt. 1909. 



Average ration No. weight gain per head 



