453 



Table IV shows that in each test the dry-lot cattle made the 

 greatest gain during the first month after which there was a de- 

 cline in the two succeeding months, due no doubt, to their becoming 

 fatter and to the condition of the weather. In the pasture the small- 

 est gains were made during the first month, due to the change from 

 dry lot to pasture and the marked decrease in the amount of grain 

 consumed as shown in Table I. A careful study of three years re- 

 sults as presented in Table IV, shows that the steers in dry lot made 

 a gain of 894 pounds in excess of those on pasture during the first 

 month of summer feeding. During the second month the difference 

 was 90 pounds and during the third month, 63 pounds in favor of 

 the steers on pasture. This would tend to show that the superiority 

 of the dry-lot method of feeding was entirely due to the behavior 

 of the steers during the first month, after which the pasture was 

 superior. The results of three months feeding show a difference 

 of 741 pounds gain in favor of the dry-lot cattle during the three 

 years which was sufficient to overcome all of the other advantages 

 of pasture feeding when considered in connection with the added 

 "bloom" and higher market price of the dry lot at the time of 

 marketing. 



If it were possible to turn out early in the season before grass 

 had started, continuing the feeds used in dry lot so that the steers 

 would become accustomed to the grass very gradually, then there 

 would apparently be little advantage in dry-lot feeding in the sum- 

 mer except that due to the premium paid for dry-fed cattle on the 

 central markets, caused by the general belief that the carcasses from 

 dry-fed cattle are superior to those from grass-fed cattle. 



