2() Growing Feeder Steers in Western Nebraska 



TABLE 14. Forage eaten "by steers during winter pounds per 



steer daily. 



Lot No ............. 1 3 4 5 6 



Alfalfa Alfalfa Prairie Aver- 

 Forage rattons.. . AHaUa Cane and *> 



hay eane cane 



Pounds Pounds Pounds Pounds Pounds Pounds Pounds 



Calves*.. ....... 12.5 10.6 13.3 12.2 13.2 11.4 12.2 



Yearlings ............ 27.0 16.5 20.3 23.9 30.0 21.0 23.1 



Two-year-olds ........ 25.1 23.3 27.5 31.3 30.8 25.9 27.3 



Average .............. | 21.5 , 16.8 20.4 22.4 24.6 19.4 21.9 



* The calves were fed 280 Ibs. of grain each during the winter or 

 2 Ibs. of grain each daily. 



Table 14 gives the forage eaten per steer daily. This shows 

 that the calves with a light grain ration were fed from 10. G to 

 13.3 Ibs. of forage daily. During the second winter, with no 

 grain being fed, the forage eaten amounted to about twice as 

 much as during the first winter. The forage eaten per day 

 during the third winter was not very much more than during 

 the second winter. The forage eaten per steer daily for the 

 three winters, taking the average of all the lots was, the first 

 winter 12.2 Ibs., the second winter 23.1 Ibs., and the third winter 

 27.3 Ibs., and the average for all lots during the three winters 

 was 21.9 Ibs. per steer daily. 



COST OF GAINS. 



The amount of feed required for 1UO Ibs. gain or the cost of 

 100 Ibs. gain when wintering stock cattle may be misleading. 

 The carrying of the cattle thru the winter from one summer 

 period of cheap gains to another summer period of cheap gains 

 is of much more importance than the gain made during the 

 winter, tho during a fattening period the gains are the all- 

 important part. However, the gain made during the winter is 

 of value in itself, especially when the owner markets the cattle 



