506 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



The American cattle feeder who critically reviews the data given 

 will be impressed first of all with the suprisingly small amount of 

 concentrates employed in the ration. In the 201 trials presented by 

 Ingle the largest amount of concentrates fed per head daily to any lot 

 was 13 Ibs. In a few cases no concentrates were fed, but usually the 

 allowance for each bullock was 6 or 7 Ibs. per day. The rich nitroge- 

 nous concentrates, such as linseed meal, cottonseed meal, dried brew- 

 ers' and distillers' grains, and peanut cake are the ones commonly 

 employed, followed by barley and corn meal more sparingly used. 

 Equally striking is the heavy use of roots, the amount fed ranging 

 from 35 Ibs. per head daily to above 150 Ibs. in extreme cases. The 

 light feeding of concentrates and the heavy feeding of roots is accom- 

 panied by the large consumption of hay and straw, which the British 

 feeder chaffs or cuts, and mixes with the pulped or sliced roots and 

 meal before feeding. It will be further observed that the British farmer 

 generally feeds quite mature bullocks, and that the feeding period is 

 relatively short, ranging from 80 to 120 days. It is probable that the 

 cattle are usually in good flesh when the feeding begins. 



In studying these figures we should remember that it was the British 

 farmer who originated and developed all the valuable breeds of beef 

 cattle now scattered over the globe, and his ability and success in pro- 

 ducing beef of high quality is unquestioned. It has been pointed out 

 in the previous chapter that when concentrates are high in price, our 

 feeders may wisely adopt a similar system of beef production, employing 

 silage from corn and the sorghums instead of the roots which are the 

 basis of English feeding. (715-6) 



