1895.] 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT No. 33. 



121 



TJie Cost of Beef Production. 



In the following table will be found a sumniaiy of the 

 financial returns from the ten steers. 



It will be remembered that five of the steers were pastured 

 during the summer and five were soiled. The object ever 

 has ])eon to coml)ine the feeds so as to get low-cost rations 

 that Avould at the same time produce maximum growth. 



Financial Statement. 



Original cost of steers, G,237 pounds, at 3.55 cents. 



Total cost of feed, 



Selling price of steers, 1 1 ,874 pounds, at 3.88 cents. 

 Value of manure produced, ..... 



$817 60 



$763 44 



Total gain in live weight, 5,637. 00 lbs. 



Total cost of feed to produce one poimd live weight, . . 10.58 cts. 



Net cost of feed to produce one pound live Aveight, . . 5 . 56 " 



Total cost to us of one pound live beef, . . . . 6.89 " 



Net cost to us of one pound live beef, 4.34 " 



Average gain in weight per day, 1.24 lbs. 



Dry matter required to produce one pound live weight,* . 11.32 " 



* For five steers that were soiled. 



liemarks on the Above Figures. 



It is to be observed that the above results are not at all 

 encouraging. The first cost of the steers plus the feed con- 

 sumed amounts to more than the returns from the beef plus 

 the value of manure reckoned at a maximum price. 



The cost of feed to produce a pound of live weight has 

 been 10.58 cents, while the total cost to us of a pound of 

 live weight (obtained by adding to the original cost of the 

 steers the cost of the feed consumed, and dividing by the 

 pounds of live weight sold) is 6.81) cents. The net cost to 



