CHAPTER XXIX 



COUNSEL IN THE FEED LOT 



The years of 1920 and 1921 will not soon be forgotten by cattlemen, 

 for in most cases they suffered unprecedented losses on their feeding 

 operations, due to the fact that finished cattle sold at a much lower 

 price than the same animals had cost before fattening. These losses 

 were one of the unfortunate products of the world-wide economic de- 

 pression brought about by the recent war. Fortunately, the horizon 

 now looks brighter for the beef producer. It is reasonable to expect that 

 in the future, as in the past, good profits will be made, over a term of 

 years, by the man who intelligently plans his feeding operations. 



The common type of beef production in the corn belt the fattening 

 of purchased feeder cattle is much more speculative in nature than 

 most ventures in animal husbandry. To secure good profits it is therefore 

 especially necessary that the several factors which make for success in 

 the enterprise be kept clearly in mind. These are accordingly discussed 

 in the following paragraphs. 



800. Rations for fattening cattle. The numerous trials reviewed in the 

 preceding chapters show forcefully that greatly increased profits are 

 secured when fattening cattle are fed properly balanced rations. A 

 cattleman is therefore foolish indeed if, thru force of habit, he continues 

 to finish his steers on rations which experiments and also practical 

 experience have shown to be uneconomical. Whenever there is any ques- 

 tion as to whether a ration is balanced, it will take but a short time to 

 compute the approximate amounts of dry matter, digestible crude pro- 

 tein, and total digestible nutrients it contains and see how closely 

 the ration meets the recommendations of modern feeding standards. 

 (Appendix Table V.) The time it takes to work out suitable and eco- 

 nomical balanced rations is commonly the most profitably spent of all 

 the year. The general principles which should be followed in com- 

 puting balanced rations for cattle are fully discussed in previous para- 

 graphs. (190, 710) 



In determining which feeds are most economical under local condi- 

 tions, it will be helpful to figure out the actual cost per pound of diges- 

 tible crude protein and total digestible nutrients in those feeds which 

 seem most suitable, as has been explained previously. By making a study 

 of this sort and also considering the results which have actually been 

 secured with various rations in practical feeding trials, as summarized 

 in Chapter XXVII, one may readily determine just what feeds will be 

 most profitable for him to use. 



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