GROWING FEEDER STEERS IN WESTERN 

 NEBRASKA. 



BY W. P. SNYDBB. 



During 1906 and 1907, experiments were conducted with 

 steers to study the effect of alfalfa, prairie hay, cane hay, and 

 mixtures of the latter two with alfalfa in wintering steers. The 

 results of these tests were reported in Bulletin 105. In the fall 

 of 1907 a similar experiment was begun. In this test there were 

 108 steer calves, divided into 6 lots of 18 calves each. These 

 calves were bought out of herds adjacent to North Platte. They 

 were a fairly good class of grades of the leading beef breeds. 

 They were not, however, all of one breed, but were of mixed 

 breeds and colors. The cost varied from $3.75 to $4.00 per 100 

 Ibs., or about $17.00 per head. The average weight was 450 

 pounds. 



The plan contemplated putting each lot on a separate ration, 

 continuing the same forage ration for three winters, and selling 

 the steers off grass the fall after they were three years old. This 

 plan was adhered to, excepting that the steers were marketed 

 August 5, owing to a shortage of pasture due to dry weather. 



The various lots were quite uniform. There was a loss of 

 three steers during the experiment. One steer dropped dead at 

 the feed rack and the other two were killed by lightning. 



The quality of the forage was not always uniform. The 

 prairie hay was of good quality thruout, but the cane was some- 

 times coarse, and some of the alfalfa during the third winter was 

 coarse and damaged by being stacked when too damp. 



Each lot ran in a corral of about an acre in extent with a 

 constant supply of water and an open shed 22x24. The steers of 

 each lot were branded on a different part of the body, so that 



BUL. 117, AGE. EXP. STATION OF NEBE. VOL. XXIII, ART. II. 



