STEER FEEDING EXPERIMENTS 1 1 



Table II shows the average amount of air-dry matter con- 

 tained in the feeds during the time of the experiment. It will be 

 noted that there was no marked difference in any of the feeds 

 during the entire time. The percentage of dry matter in practically 

 all the feeds wa*s highest during the winter of 1914-15. Wheat 

 bran varied 5%, being lowest in 1915 and highest in 1914. Cotton- 

 seed meal varied nearly 4%, being lowest in 1913 and quite uniform 

 in 1914 and 1915. Ear corn showed slight variation, being highest 

 in 1914 and the same for 1913 and 1915. 



Corn and cob meal was higher than ear corn on account of 

 being used later each year, and possibly some drying of the meal 

 through grinding. Shelled corn varied slightly, being highest in 

 1913 and lowest in 1914, and showing an average of 87.70% for 

 the three years. Corn stover varied slightly, with a difference 

 of less than 5% for the three years. There was quite a variation 

 in the moisture content of the silage, as indicated by the average 

 of 34.29% of air-dry matter in the silage of 1914 and 24.47% for 

 1915. This variation is no doubt due to the difference in maturity 

 and slightly frozen condition of the corn at the time of harvesting. 

 The alfalfa and mixed hay varied little during the three-year period. 



Table III shows the average daily gain per steer by periods 

 during the three years. It is tabulated for the first 56 days, the 

 last 84 days and for the average of 140 days. Reviewing the 

 average daily gain for the first 56 days we find that it is quite 

 uniform for Lot I for the three years, varying less than .15 of a 

 pound with an average of 1.69 pounds per steer per day. The 

 gains in Lot II varied from 1.71 pounds to 2.23 pounds. Lot III 

 varied from 1.49 pounds to 2 pounds per head daily. Lot IV 

 made very uniform gains during the three-year period, ranging 

 from 1.60 pounds to 1.70 pounds per head daily, and an average 

 daily gain of 1.64 pounds per head for the three years. Lot V (a), 

 reported for one year only, gained T.65 pounds per head daily. 

 Lot V (b) made a gain of 2.01 pounds per head daily during the 

 year it was on experiment. Lot VI made an average gain of 2.48 

 pounds per head daily. 



Reviewing the average daily gains for the last 84 days it will 

 be noted that there is a marked difference in the average daily 

 gains per head in Lots I and II. In Lot I the highest gains occurred 

 in 1914 when a gain of 2.37 pounds was made. The lowest gains 



