STEER FEEDING EXPERIMENTS 7 



experiment, in Greene county, Penna., for the 1914-1915 experiment 

 and in Greene and Bedford counties for the 1915-1916 experiment. 

 Those from West Virginia and Greene county were mostly native- 

 bred cattle, while those purchased in Bedford county were shipped 

 in as calves from the Chicago market. The majority of these 

 cattle were "two-year-olds," and they averaged about 900 pounds 

 at the beginning of the experiment. They would have classed as 

 fair feeders on the Pittsburgh market. On the basis of weight, 

 breed, age, quality, type and general condition they were divided 

 into five lots of twelve each. 



Shelter, Feedlots and Water Supply 



The cattle were fed in the experimental sheds at the college. 

 The sheds are enclosed on three sides, the open side being toward 

 the south. The covered part of the shed for each lot is 14 x 30 

 feet ; this provides ample protection for the cattle except during 

 severe storms from the south. A yard 25x30 feet adjoins each 

 lot, which has a concrete floor and is large enough for exercise. 

 The use of the concrete floor makes it possible to retain all liquid 

 and solid manure. Open galvanized tanks always filled supplied 

 the drinking water. During cold weather it was necessary to 

 break the ice in the tanks twice a day. 



The mangers are extended the full length of the feeding shed, 

 allowing 30 feet for each lot, or 2j4 feet per steer. The feed was 

 given to the entire lot at one time, it being assumed that the same 

 amount was being consumed by each individual. 



The Rations 



The same rations were fed during the three years to Lots I, II, 

 III and IV. Lot V (a) was fed during 1913-1914, Lot V (b) dur- 

 ing 1914-1915, and Lot VI (c) during the last year of the experi- 

 ment, 1915-1916. 



Lot I Mixed hay and corn stover as roughage 



Chopped ear corn, or corn and cob meal and wheat bran as 



concentrates 



All the mixed hay they would consume 

 4 pounds corn stover per head daily 

 Grain mixture, 3 parts corn and one part bran by weight grain 



fed to limit of appetite 

 This is the ration commonly fed by Pennsylvania farmers who 



do not have silos 



