268 BULLETIN 133 



where corn silage and alfalfa hay alone were fed.' The daily gains 

 made by this lot were not sufficient to indicate it as the lot in which 

 a pound of gain was produced at the lowest cost. Lot II, fed corn 

 silage and cottonseed meal, produced the cheapest gain. The addi- 

 tion of mixed hay in Lot IV increased the daily cost of feed as well 

 as the cost of a pound of gain. This is also true of Lot V, where 

 cottonseed meal was fed in addition to the silage and alfalfa hay. 

 This would indicate that it is not advisable to feed both cottonseed 

 meal and alfalfa hay in the amount fed in addition to corn silage as 

 a source of protein. It also indicates that mixed hay at $12.00 per 

 ton is more expensive as a roughage than corn silage at $3.50- 



Observations were made of the Condition of the cattle at the 

 end of the 56-day feeding period. The cattle in Lot II had the 

 sleekest coats, but the cattle in Lot I seemed to be a little thicker- 

 fleshed than those of the other lots. This condition was doubtless 

 due to the feeding of grain from the beginning. 



During the second period when grain was fed to all lots there 

 w.as very little difference in the amount of air-dry matter consumed 

 by the five lots. Lot I again consumed the largest and Lot II the 

 smallest amount. The amount of air-dry matter consumed daily 

 was also slightly increased over the first period, due to the addition 

 of a concentrated feed. The amount of air-dry matter required to 

 make a pound of gain was also more uniform for the five lots. Lot 

 I required 13.21 pounds of air-dry matter, the largest amount, while 

 Lot IV required the lowest amount, 10.88 pounds. 



The feed-cost of producing one hundred pounds of gain mater- 

 ially increased in all lots for the second period, except Lot I, as a 

 result of adding grain to the ration at the beginning of that period. 

 The increased cost of producing 100 pounds of gain during the 

 second period was $1.99 for Lot I ; $6.078 for Lot II ; $4.01 for Lot 

 III; $3.646 for Lot IV; and $4.426 for Lot V. 



The daily cost of feed per steer was also increased for all lots 

 during the second period. The daily cost was highest in Lot V, 

 where grain was fed in addition to the corn silage, alfalfa hay, and 

 cottonseed meal. The amount of roughage consumed by all lots 

 was considerably less during the second period, due to the addition 

 of grain, which also accounts for the marked increase in the cost 

 per pound of gain and the daily cost of feeding. 



