FEEDING BEEF CATTLE 275 



cattle feeding can be produced cheaply and abundantly there, and 

 the favorable winter climate reduces the cost of investment in 

 buildings and equipment for cattle feeding. Excellent forage crops, 

 like alfalfa, cowpeas, velvet beans, sorghum, soybeans, etc., together 

 with cotton-seed meal, are the main feeds which will enable southern 

 farmers to raise and fatten beef cattle cheaply and which will lead to 

 a gradual development of the cattle industry in the South. The 

 danger of Texas fever is one of the disadvantages. Large areas 

 are, however, gradually being freed from the tick that causes this 

 disease, and the time is probably not far distant when the whole 

 South will be free of the Texas fever tick. 22 



Rations for Steers. The following sample rations will show 

 the kinds and amounts of feeding stuffs that may be fed to fatten- 

 ing steers per 1000 pounds live weight : 



1. 10 pounds clover hay, 20 pounds corn, 3 pounds cotton-seed meal. 



2. 5 pounds clover hay, 5 pounds corn stover, 20 pounds corn. 



3. 10 pounds alfalfa hay, 15 pounds corn, 2 pounds linseed meal. 



4. 10 pounds alfalfa hay, 18 pounds corn. 



5. 25 pounds corn silage, 10 pounds mixed hay, 10 pounds shelled corn, 

 2 pounds cotton-seed meal. 



G. 20 pounds mixed hay, 10 pounds snapped corn. 



7. 25 pounds cotton-seed hulls, Gy 4 pounds cotton-seed meal. 



8. 20 pounds corn silage, 10 pounds clover hay, 10 pounds barley. 



9. 15 pounds kafir corn, 12 pounds cotton-seed hulls, 3 pounds cotton- 

 seed meal. 



JO. 8 pounds alfalfa hay, 12 pounds corn meal, G pounds oats. 



11. 25 pounds alfalfa hay, 6 pounds barley. 



12. 30 pounds corn silage, 10 pounds mixed hay, 10 pounds corn. 



QUESTIONS 



1. What are the two systems of feeding beef cattle in this country? State 



the advantages and disadvantages of each one. 



2. What is the average composition of the increase in fattening steers? 



3. Why are the Wolff-Lehmann standards for fattening steers not reliable 



guides ? 



4. What is the law in regard to the relation of age and weight of fattening 



steers to the (a.) daily gains, (6) per cent dressed weight? 



5. What does the term spread or margin mean, as used by cattle men? 



6. Give the main factors on which the spread depends. 



7. Give the factors that determine the length of feeding period. 



8. How much grain and roughage does it take, on the average, to produce 



100 pounds gain in fattening steers? 



9. Why is pasture feeding for steers cheaper than feeding during the winter 



months ? 



10. Discuss briefly the value of silage for steer feeding. 



11. What is baby beef? 



12. Give the conditions under which it may be successfully produced. 



13. Describe briefly the methods followed in the feeding of (a) yearling 



steers, (6) two-year-olds, (c) range steers. 



22 Farmers' Bulletin 588. 



