Growing Feeder Steers in Western Nebraska 1 



It is obvious that cattle are worth more per pound in the 

 spring than in the fall. During the winter the expense is heavy 

 and the gain is light, while during the summer the opposite is 

 true. We have assumed that this difference is 50 cents per 100 

 Ibs. The results of the experiment show that in order to have 

 gotten the value assumed for the feed, we should have made the 

 spring price more than 50 cents per 100 Ibs. above the fall 

 price. We have assumed that the cost of the pasture during the 

 summer was equal to 6 per cent interest on 8 acres of land 

 valued at $8.00 per acre, plus a slight charge of 25 cents per 

 head for water. This amounts to $4.09 per head for the summer. 

 If the pasturing season were G months in duration, the charge 

 would be at the rate of 68 cents per month. 



During the first winter all the calves were fed a light grain 

 ration of 2 pounds daily per calf. The grain was two parts corn 

 and one part oats. The forage was weighed in wagon-load lots 

 as it was drawn to the steers. It was piled in front of feeding 

 racks, and given to the steers twice daily. The waste was not 

 recorded. 



KIND OF FORAGE FED TO EACH LOT. 



The forage ration was as follows : 



Lot 1. Alfalfa. 



Lot 2. Prairie hay. 



Lot 3. Cane. 



Lot 4. One-half alfalfa and one-half prairie hay. 



Lot 5. One-half alfalfa and one-half cane hay. 



Lot 6. One-half prairie hay and one-half cane hay. 

 The experiment began December 3, 1907, and ended August 

 5, 1910. The time covered has been divided into six periods, each 

 one including a summer or a winter. Period 5 has been sub- 

 divided into Periods 5A and 5B. This is on account of the break 

 in the experiment caused by the fire of March 26, 1910. Period 

 5 A covers the winter up to March 18, while the steers were in 

 separate lots on the different forage rations. Period 5B covers 



