86i 



INTRODUCTION 



The cattle feeding trial reported in this bulletin was conducted 

 during a severe and extensive outbreak of foot and mouth disease 

 that demoralized the livestock industry and brought heavy losses to 

 cattle feeders. Feeding cattle and feed were high and the market 

 for fat cattle in the spring was very little higher than that for feed- 

 ing cattle in the fall. These conditions resulted in one of the most 

 unprofitable feeding seasons since experimental work in cattle feed- 

 ing has been in progress at this station. 



OBJECT 



The object of this work was to obtain additional information on 

 the comparative value of leguminous hay alone and in combination 

 with corn silage as roughage for full-fed cattle; to compare ground 

 soybeans and cottonseed meal as sources of protein for supplement- 

 ing rations for fattening cattle; to test the comparative value of 

 clover hay and alfalfa hay as roughage for fattening cattle ; and to 

 test the value of feeding molasses and mixed molasses feeds for full- 

 fed cattle. Tests covering the first three items had been conducted at 

 this station ; the last item is a new project. 



PLAN 



The plan of the work was to secure seventy choice heavy feeding 

 cattle. These cattle were divided into seven lots of ten steers each, 

 as nearly as possible equal in size, condition, quality, thrift and 

 breeding. Each lot of cattle was placed in similar surroundings and 

 fed for one hundred fifty days. The only difference between lots 

 was in the rations fed which were as follows : 



Lot i. Shelled corn, ground soybeans 2.5 pounds daily per 1000 

 pounds live weight, corn silage, and oat straw. 



Lot 2. Shelled corn, cottonseed meal 2.5 pounds daily per 1000 

 pounds live weight, clover hay. 



Lot 3. Shelled corn, cottonseed meal 2.5 pounds daily per 1000 

 pounds live weight, alfalfa hay. 



Lot 4. Shelled corn, cottonseed meal 2.5 pounds daily per 1000 

 pounds live weight, corn silage, and clover hay. 



Lot 5. Shelled corn, cottonseed meal 2.5 pounds daily per 1000 

 pounds live weight, molasses (cane), corn silage and clover hay. 



Lot 6. Shelled corn, molasses feed, corn silage, and clover hay. 



Lot 7. Shelled corn, cottonseed meal 2.5 pounds daily per 1000 

 pounds live weight, corn silage, and alfalfa hay. 



