COUNSEL IN THE FEED LOT 529 



Gain in winter Gain in summer 



feed lot on pasture 



With calves 8.9 pounds 10. pounds 



With yearlings 6.5 pounds 7 . 6 pounds 



With 2-year olds 5.4 pounds 6 . 8 pounds 



They found that cattlemen estimate the daily increase per head of 

 steers during the grazing season at 1.66 Ibs. for yearling and 1.87 Ibs. 

 for 2-year-olds. 



Waters of the Missouri Station, 12 gathering statistics from more than 

 1,000 successful cattlemen in Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa, found the 

 average gains from cattle pastured without grain were as follows for 

 the 6-months period, May 1 to November 1: 



Average gain of steers for 6-months season on grass 



By yearlings By 2-year-olds 



Per month Per season Per month Per season 

 State Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. 



Missouri 47 282 53 318 



Iowa 48 288 52 312 



Illinois 45 270 52 312 



By taking the usual rental charge for pasture in a given region, the 

 approximate cost of gains on pasture may be readily determined. For 

 example, assuming a pasture charge for yearlings of $1.50 per month, 

 their gains would cost approximately $3.20 per 100 Ibs., while the 2- 

 y ear-olds at a pasture charge of $2 per month would put on gains 

 costing only about $3.80 per 100 Ibs. When we consider that gains made 

 by steers in winter cost from $6 to $10 per 100 Ibs. for feed alone, the 

 economy of pasture in fattening cattle is apparent. 



Skinner and Cochel of the Indiana Station 13 found thru extensive 

 inquiry that in Indiana during summer feeding each grain-fed steer 

 grazed over 1.1 acres of land on the average. Where no grain was given, 

 each steer grazed over about 2 acres. 



Lloyd of the Mississippi Station 14 reports that 2-year-old heifers, fed 

 a light ration during the winter, when turned to pasture gained 1.3 Ibs. 

 each daily for 178 days on pasture alone. Steers of the same age, thin 

 in flesh when turned to pasture, made daily gains of 1.4 Ibs. for 178 

 days, while those full fed the previous winter gained but 0.8 Ib. each 

 day during 158 days. 



814. Feeding concentrates on pasture. When cattle are finished on 

 pasture, no concentrates at all may be fed, a small allowance may be 

 given during the entire pasture period, concentrates may be fed during 

 only the last few weeks, or an unlimited allowance of grain may be given 

 thruout the entire period. It will usually pay to feed some grain in 

 addition to pasture except under range conditions and in certain 

 districts, as in the bluegrass regions of Virginia and adjacent states and 



12 Mo. Cir. 24. u lnd. Cir. 12. "Miss. Rpt. 1903. 



