1906.] RATIONS FOR BEEF BREEDING Cows. 337 



As no corn was fed in lot 3, no statement involving variation in 

 price of corn is possible. The stover, straw, and clover hay used 

 throughout the test are figured at the one price stated in the early 

 pages of the bulletin without any reference to the change in price of 

 corn. 



In lot 3 the total average cost of keeping one cow for 140 days 

 was $4.374, the average cost of keeping one cow for one month was 

 $0.937, an d the cost of keeping one cow for one day was $0.031. 



By referring to the data given it will be seen that figuring corn 

 at 35 cents per bushel, it cost practically 37 cents more to keep a 

 cow on silage for 140 days than it did to keep one on shock corn, 

 the same supplements being used in both instances. Since the silage- 

 fed cows gained in this 140 days 150.10 pounds to the shock corn- 

 fed cows, 106.19 pounds, it strikingly emphasizes the superiority of 

 silage for this purpose. 



CONCLUSIONS 



1. It is assumed that the maintenance ration of a pregnant 

 breeding cow should be regarded as the ration necessary to permit 

 of sufficient gain in weight to account for the weight of the foetus. 



2. Breeding cows of the beef type may be wintered without 

 grain provided they are given all. of the corn stover and oat straw 

 they will consume during the early part and supplemented with a 

 small amount of clover hay during the latter part of the season. 

 While the cows in lot 3 used in this test were so fed, and while 

 they weighed 57.53 pounds more per head at the end than at the 

 beginning of the test, this method is not recommended because the 

 cows so fed lacked thrift at the end of the test. 



3. The corn plant fed either in the form of shock corn or silage 

 supplemented with a limited amount of clover hay proved satisfac- 

 tory rations for wintering beef breeding cows. 



4. Although the rations fed the cows receiving silage were 

 smaller than those given the ones receiving shock corn, the gains 

 were larger. 



5. Before calving the general condition of the cows in lots i 

 and 2, the lots receiving silage and shock corn respectively, was 

 about the same; however, those cows in lot i which gave birth to 

 calves during the experiment showed more thrift than did those of 

 lot 2 under like conditions. 



6. The amounts of feed consumed in terms of the acreages in- 

 volved in producing these feeds were as follows: Lot i (silage 

 fed), .9528 acre; lot 2 (shock corn), 1.0388 acres; lot 3 (corn 

 stover), 1.1402 acres. 



