734 



TABLE; VII. Showing Average Daily Gain per Steer by Months, 

 November 17, 1911 to April 25, 1912 (160 days) 



It will be noted in Table VII that the steers receiving clover 

 hay and silage once daily (Lot i) made more rapid gains than the 

 corresponding lot fed oat straw once daily and silage once daily 

 (Lot 5). On the other hand those fed oat straw and silage twice 

 daily (Lot 6) made more rapid gains than those fed clover hay and 

 corn silage twice daily (Lot 4). The difference in gain between 

 Lots i and 5 can be attributed to the effect of the ration because 

 the steers in both lots ate well at all times ; but the difference in gain 

 between Lots 4 and 6 is so small that it can easily be accounted for 

 by the difference in eagerness with which the cattle ate. These 

 gains of the various lots show that corn silage in Lots i and 5 did 

 not replace the dry roughage to such an extent but that the superior 

 feeding quality of clover hay over oat straw produced better results. 

 But in Lots 4 and 6 the silage replaced the dry roughage to such an 

 extent that the value of the dry roughage in the ration was reduced 

 to a basis of variety in the ration rather than a difference in food 

 nutrients furnished. In other words, the results of Lots 4 and 6 

 indicate that when silage is fed according to the appetites of the 

 cattle, the clover hay in the ration can be replaced by other forms 

 of dry roughage without injuring the ration. This is due to the 

 fact that any form of dry roughage satisfies the desire of cattle for 

 variety but the quantity consumed furnishes such a small proportion 

 of the food nutrients eaten that the class of dry roughage fed makes 

 little difference. 



