Economical Rations in Beef Production. 



But the composition of a food is not the only factor which 

 determines its value. Alfalfa is very much more relished 

 than prairie hay and it is less difficult to masticate. Steers 

 crowded for the largest possible consumption of grain can 

 also be induced to eat a little more corn with alfalfa than 

 with prairie hay. 



In determining the cost of producing 100 pounds of gain, 

 alfalfa and prairie hay were figured at $6.00 each per ton for 

 the three years. Corn was 33 cents per bushel in 1903, 39 

 cents in 1904, and 35 cents in 1905. It is unfair to make com- 

 parative values of a roughage like alfalfa, which balances 

 well with corn alone, and one like prairie hay which does not, 

 but when thus fed as in these three experiments, the alfalfa 

 returned values ranging from f 10.80 to $15.70 per ton as 

 compared with prairie hay at $6.00. The experiments show, 

 however, that we can not afford to feed prairie hay at $6.00 



1 This chart is based on the average composition and digestibility of 

 the foods indicated as determined at numerous places. The nutritive 

 ratio is found by multiplying the digestible fats by 2^4, adding this to 

 the digestible carbohydrates and dividing the sum by the digestible 

 protein. 



