50 Growing Feeder Steers in Western Nebraska 



Table 37 gives the results of the entire experiment with six 

 lots of 18 steers each, fed different forage rations during the 

 winter and run together during the summer in a native grass 

 pasture. The time covered is from December 3, 1907, to August 

 5, 1910. 



The lots began with an almost uniform weight, but ended the 

 experiment with a difference of 159 Ibs. per head in favor of 

 Lot 5, fed alfalfa and cane, over Lot 2, fed prairie ha} 7 . The 

 increase in weight during the three years ranged from 642 

 Ibs. per steer in Lot 2 to 800 Ibs. per steer in Lot 5, and averaged 

 738 Ibs. per steer for all lots. On the average, the yearly in- 

 crease in weight per steer was 246 Ibs. The increase in weight 

 daily per steer ranged from .65 Ib. in Lot 2 to .80 Ib. in Lot 5. 

 The rank of the forage rations as indicated by the total gain 

 per steer was as follows: alfalfa and cane, alfalfa and prairie 

 hay, alfalfa, prairie hay and cane, cane, and prairie hay. The 

 tons of forage eaten per steer varied from 4.12 of prairie hay to 

 5.99 of alfalfa and cane. There was more alfalfa required than 

 prairie hay to winter a steer, but there was much more increase 

 in the weight of steer from the alfalfa. 



The total average cost of the feed per head for the three 

 years was $39.56. The lowest cost was $34.45 for the steers in 

 Lot 2. The interest on the investment is ordinarily not given 

 due consideration by the owner. In this table the interest is 

 computed at the end of each period on the cost of the steer at 

 the beginning of that period and these several amounts brought 

 together as the total interest on the investment. The interest 

 on the average steer during the entire experiment was $4.87. 

 If we add together the first cost of the steer, the value of all 

 feed eaten, and the interest on the investment, the total will 

 give the entire cost of the steer. By this method, on August 5, 

 1910, the cost per steer ranged from $55.92 for those in Lot 2 to 

 $66.51 for those in Lot 1. The average cost of each three-year-old 

 steer on August 5 of the third summer was $61.32. This was at 



