52 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



by shredding or cutting the roughage and mingling it with the concentrated 

 feed prior to putting it into the self-feeder. Under these conditions cattle 

 may be safely turned to the feeder as soon as they are turned into the feed 

 lot, and as the feeding progresses the roughage can be reduced to the extent 

 that the cattle utilize concentrates to the best advantage. 



Hogs Should Follow Cattle. It is unprofitable to feed steers without 

 hogs in the feed lot. Decreasing the cost of preparing feed is an item of 

 saving in the steer feeding operation. The usual manner of feeding corn 

 incurs considerable waste unless hogs follow the steers and utilize that which 

 would otherwise be wasted. Hogs weighing 100 to 150 Ibs. that are active 

 and capable of making good gains, are best for the steer lots. Hogs that 

 are too fat are not active enough to serve the purpose. Brood sows and a 

 small class of hogs are very likely to be injured and, are therefore, unprofit- 

 able. The age of the cattle and the character of the ration fed to them, de-' 

 termines the amount of feed available for the support of the hogs, and the 

 character of the feed will also affect the gains made by the hogs. 



On the average the number of hogs per steer in the feed lot according 

 to the Missouri Experiment Station, Bulletin 76, should be as follows for 

 rations of different character, the steers being two-year-olds and the hogs 

 weighing 100 to 150 Ibs.: 



Snapped ear corn 2 to 3 hogs per steer 



Ear corn 1^4 hogs per steer 



Shelled corn 1 to 1J/2 hogs per steer 



Crushed or ground corn 1-3 to y 2 hog per steer 



It is profitable to include more hogs than are necessary to utilize the 

 waste and to supply additional feed to the extent that the hogs are satisfied 

 and do not disturb the steers too much. 



Equipment for Cattle Feeding. Ordinarily feeding sheds about 20 ft. 

 deep and of sufficient length to accommodate a given number of steers with 

 lots or yards approximately 24 ft. deep and feed bunks suitable for supply- 

 ing grain, constitute the equipment for fattening steers. It is advisable to 

 have the shed arranged to offer as much shelter as possible from prevailing 

 winds and storms. The roughage may be fed in racks inside the yard or 

 shed or in racks located in yards adjoining the shed where the cattle can be 

 turned. Feed bunks in which concentrates and silage are fed, should be made 

 of heavy material. It is advisable to so construct them that they can be 

 moved about from place to place as circumstances necessitate. They should 

 be arranged in a manner to make feeding most convenient. Having the feed 

 lots paved or the floors arranged to keep the droppings where hogs have the 

 best chance to get them will be an advantage. The condition of many feed- 

 ing lots is unsatisfactory at seasons of the year and in localities where the 

 ground does not freeze and becomes wet and muddy. Experiments indi- 

 cate that a sufficient gain and return is secured as a result of having the 

 feed lots in suitable condition to justify the expense of paving and main- 



