7 i6 



SHELTER, FEED LOTS, AND WATER SUPPLY 



The conditions surrounding the cattle were no better than those 

 of the average feed lot. Each lot of ten steers was fed in a yard 

 40 by 50 feet, with an open shed 12 by 40 feet facing east, on the 

 west side of each yard: The yards were covered several inches deep 

 with cinders. Under average weather conditions the cinders have 

 not prevented the lots from becoming muddy but in the winter of 

 1911-12, the unusually cold weather kept the ground frozen so con- 

 stantly that no trouble was experienced with mud until the last few 

 weeks of the trial when the lots became sloppy. The sheds were 

 kept well bedded but no bedding was used in the yards. 



The water was supplied in galvanized iron tanks set in the open 

 lot and surrounded" by five or six inches of manure, held in place by 

 a wooden jacket. The water was further protected by tank covers 

 which were closed during the night in cold weather. The winter was 

 unusually cold and considerable trouble was experienced with ice 

 in the troughs. 



WEIGHTS 



Each steer was weighed individually for three consecutive days 

 at the beginning and end of the trial and every thirty days during 

 the progress of the same. The average of the three weights at the 

 beginning and end of the trial was taken as the initial and final 

 weights respectively. The identity of each steer was known by means 

 of a numbered tag on a strap fastened around the neck. Lot weights 

 were taken every ten days in order to facilitate keeping records of 

 feed consumed and gains made. Weights were taken at 9 :oo A. M. 

 without any change in the ration or water of the cattle. Each lot 

 of hogs was weighed every ten days. 



METHOD OF FEEDING 



The method of feeding was the same in all lots reported in this 

 bulletin. Grain was fed at 6 :oo A. M. and 4 130 P. M. in troughs in the 

 open lot. Shelled corn was placed in the trough, the cottonseed meal 

 poured upon it and mixed in thoroughly by hand. After the cattle had 

 cleaned up the grain which usually required from a half to three- 

 quarters of an hour, the roughage was fed. Lots I and 5 were fed 

 silage at night and the former clover hay and the latter oat straw in 

 the morning. Lots 3, 4, 6 and 7 were fed silage both morning and 

 evening. Lot 4 was fed clover hay and Lots 6 and 7 oat straw in the 

 morning. Lot 2 was fed clover hay both morning and evening. Dur- 

 ing the first two months, Lot 7 was fed oat straw both morning and 

 evening and the cottonseed meal was fed both morning and evening 

 with the silage. It was the intention to have all silage cleaned up 

 within two hours and all clover before the next time to feed clover. 

 Salt was supplied once a week at regular intervals. 



