384 Feeds and Feeding. 



bulky character and its cooling, slightly laxative properties, bnii^. 

 is a most excellent dilutent for corn meal, cotton-seed meal and 

 other heavy food substances. Where it can be obtained at a rea- 

 sonable price, the stockman will find much satisfaction in mixing 

 one-third its weight of bran with com meal. (544) 



585. Oil meal. — Oil meal is an article of great importance in 

 the feed lot. The highly carbonaceous Indian corn has the reputa- 

 tion of rapidly "burning up" the digestive tract of the steer 

 when fed continuously in large quantity. Oil meal, though an 

 exceedingly rich food, is of the opposite nature, and when fed 

 in reasonable amount has a cooling and generally beneficial 

 efiect on the system. The feeder ^\'ho uses from two to four 

 pounds of oil meal a day with corn in any form will be pleased with 

 the result. A steer fed oil meal has a glossy coat and a handling 

 quality not attained without the use of this feed. (206) This 

 quality indicates the value of oil meal for the finishing period in 

 steer fattening. The feeder should use oil cake in nut form rather 

 than as meal. 



586. Roots. — In steer feeding, roots are valuable, especially in 

 the earlier stages, because of their cooling effect and the nutri- 

 ment they afford. At first 50 or 60 pounds of roots may be fed 

 daily to each steer. As the fattening period progresses, the 

 quantity should be diminished to allow the flesh to become firm. 

 For steer feeding, roots should always be sliced or pulped. In the 

 latter case the pulped mass is mixed with chaffed hay or straw 

 and held until the dry forage has become moist and soft The 

 mangel is preferred for steer feeding. (325-6, 549) 



587. Silage. — If the stockman desires a cheap, succulent feed 

 for his cattle in winter, he will find it in corn silage. The same 

 quantity of nutriment that a root crop yields can be produced 

 more economically in corn forage stored in the shape of silage, 

 and this article can be fed with satisfaction to steers during the 

 early stages of fattening. At first as much as 40 or 50 pounds 

 of silage may be given daily to each steer; when the full grain- 

 feeding period arrives let the allowance be cut down to 25 or 30 

 pounds per day. A limited use of this feed will keep the system 

 cool and the appetite vigorous. (550) 



