WINTER STEER FEEDING 



1909-10 and 1910-11 



F. G. KING 

 H. P. RUSK' 



SUMMARY 

 PART I 



1. Corn silage in all rations where it was fed, proved a more 

 economical and more profitable roughage than clover hay alone for 

 fattening cattle. 



2. The addition of corn silage to a ration of shelled corn, cot- 

 tonseed meal, and clover hay, decreased the consumption of shelled 

 corn in amounts closely approximating the grain content of the 

 silage in the ration. 



3. The addition of corn silage to a ration of shelled corn, 

 cottonseed meal and clover hay, increased the rate and decreased 

 the cost of gain, and effected equally as good finish on the cattle. 



4. The addition of corn silage to a ration of shelled corn, 

 cottonseed meal, and clover hay, increased the profits per steer in 

 amounts closely corresponding to the saving in cost of gains. 



5. The substitution of corn silage for clover hay with grain 

 rations of corn and cottonseed meal did not affect the rate of gain 

 but did greatly reduce the cost of gain. 



6. Corn silage alone as roughage with a grain ration of shelled 

 corn and cottonseed meal gave slightly less finish than clover hay 

 alone as roughage, but the cost of gains was enough less to effect a 

 much larger profit where silage was the only roughage fed. 



7. The more nearly corn silage replaced the clover hay in 

 the ration the cheaper the gain, but the entire elimination of clover 

 hay from the ration was accompanied by slightly less finish on the 

 cattle. 



8. Under prevailing market conditions the larger the propor- 

 tion of corn silage in the roughage, in the early part of the fatten- 

 ing period, the cheaper were the gains. 



9. In order to induce sufficient grain consumption to insure 

 satisfactory gains it was necessary to limit the amount of silage 

 fed during the latter part of the feeding period. 



10. Corn silage in the ration produced relatively more rapid 

 improvement in the condition of the cattle during the early part of 

 the fattening period, than did clover hay alone as roughage. 



11. The consumption of frozen silage scoured the cattle. 



1 Resigned September, 1910 



