Counsel in the Feed Lot. 367 



nitrogenous concentrate like linseed and cotton-seed meal, not only 

 increases the feeding value of the corn with both the cattle and hogs 

 which follow, but keeps the animals more healthy, shortens the feed- 

 ing period, and gives a higher finish than is possible with corn alone, 

 no matter how it is fed. 



Mumford 1 points out a case at the Illinois Station, where steers 

 fed clover hay in addition to corn brought 30 cents more per cwt. 

 than others fed corn, timothy hay, and corn stover. At the Missouri 

 Station, 2 Waters found that steers fattened on corn and timothy 

 hay made a gain of 5 Ibs. from a bushel of corn, while those fattened 

 on corn, clover hay, and corn stover gained 6.5 Ibs., a gain of 30 

 per ct. 



Waters 3 points out that where cattle are being fattened on corn, 

 the advantages in using the hay of some legume, such as clover, 

 alfalfa, or cowpeas, instead of timothy, millet, sorghum, and straw, 

 are: 



1. Increased gains by the cattle. 



2. Increased selling price of the cattle due to extra bloom. 



3. Increased gain by hogs following the steers. 



4. Increased fertility of the land where the feeding operations are con- 



ducted. 



The better condition of the fields on which the leguminous crops are- 

 grown. (546-553) 



Where the feeder cannot provide any leguminous roughage, such 

 as clover or alfalfa hay, but must force his cattle to fatten on corn 

 with timothy, sorghum, or kafir hay or corn stover for roughage, then 

 there should be fed daily to each steer not less than 2 or 3 Ibs. of 

 some protein-rich concentrate like linseed or cotton-seed meal. Where 

 some leguminous hay is being fed, it is not usually best to feed any 

 protein-rich concentrate except during the last few weeks of the 

 feeding period. (535-539) 



Waters* tells us that 10 years of experience and experiments have 

 demonstrated that when steers running on good pastures are being 

 fattened on corn, it is not wise to feed rich supplements such as lin- 

 seed or cotton-seed meal in any large amounts or for long periods. 

 Giving 2 or 3 Ibs. daily of linseed or cotton-seed meal during the last 

 60 or 70 days of feeding, puts on a bloom and finish above that which 

 corn and blue grass alone can supply, thereby yielding profitable 

 returns. 



575. Corn silage. Because of the unique and commanding posi- 

 tion of the corn plant in America, it is usually unwise for the Ameri- 



1 Beef Production, p. 70. 3 Loc. cit. 



a Bui. 76. * Mo. Sta., Cir. of Information, 24. 



