293 



During the winter of 1907-8 the work of the "short" vs. "long" 

 feeding was duplicated in order that more evidence might be accum- 

 ulated on this subject before publication was made. The cattle used 

 in this test were slightly heavier both in the "long and short fed" 

 lots than in the preceding year, the "long fed" cattle weighing 1123 

 pounds per head while the "short fed" cattle weighed 1287 pounds. 

 As in the preceding test, the average gain and amount of grain con- 

 sumed daily per steer (in the "short fed" lots) were greater and the 

 roughage was less. The cost of producing 100 pounds of gain in the 

 "long fed" lot during the first no days was $8.71, while in the 

 "short fed" lot it was $9.21, showing that as in the preceding test, 

 the higher the condition of the steer when placed in the feed lot, the 

 more expensive is the gain. When the "long fed" cattle were fed to 

 the same marketable finish the cost of gain was $9.18 per hundred, 

 or practically the same as in the "short fed" lot. This is based upon 

 corn at 50 cents per bushel, which was five cents per bushel higher 

 than the average market price during the first no days of the test, 

 but practically the average for the 180 days during which the "long 

 fed" cattle were in the feed lot. 



The necessary margin between buying and selling prices of 

 the "short fed" lot,' in the second test, was 65 cents per hundred, 

 or 18.3 cents per month, with corn at 40 cents per bushel, or 92 

 cents per hundred with corn at 50 cents per bushel. In the "long 

 fed" lot during the same period the necessary margin was 83 cents 

 per hundred, or 23 . i cents per month, with corn at 40 cents per 

 bushel, or $1.01 per hundred with corn at 5oc per bushel, during 

 the first no days of the test. For the full period of six months, 

 the necessary margin was $1.16 per hundred or .19.3 cents per 

 month, with corn at 40 cents per bushel, or $1.54 per hundred with 

 corn at 50 cents per bushel. This would seem to indicate that it is 

 necessary to have an increase in value of 16 to 18.3 cents per 

 hundred each month that the "short fed" cattle are in the feed lot 

 with corn at 40 cents per bushel, in order to obtain market prices for 

 feeds without taking into consideration the value of hogs or manure. 

 In the "long fed" lot the necessary increase in value was from 17.5 

 to 19.3 cents per hundred each month with feeds at the same 

 prices. These figures are based upon weights and values in the 

 feed lot, without shrinkage. 



