Economical Rations in Beef Production. 23 



prairie hay at $6.00 per ton. In the third comparison, with- 

 out a protein food, the stover returned a value of but $2.77 

 compared with prairie hay at f 6.00, which smaller value is 

 perhaps attributable to the lower protein content of stover. 

 As already stated, not more than 60 per cent of the stover 

 charged to the steers fed in these experiments was consumed, 

 the remainder consisting of refuse butts which had to be 

 thrown out for bedding. The stover actually consumer! 

 would seem to possess a feeding value quite the equal of prai- 

 rie hay. Inasmuch as corn-stover contains only 60 per cent 

 dry matter, while prairie hay is approximately 90 per cent, it 

 would seem conservative to say also that the dry matter of 

 the entire cornstalk with ear detached, cut immediately after 

 the corn ripens and properly cured in the shock, is equal to 

 the dry matter of prairie hay. 



THE RELATIVE ECONOMY OF A HEAVY AND LIGHT RATION 



OF CORN. 



The experiments so far conducted and reported in these 

 pages indicate that beef can be produced most economically 

 in Nebraska by the use of corn, alfalfa, and corn-stover. It 

 would seem proper to next determine, if possible, what pro- 

 portion of corn to such roughness is most economical. Corn 

 has ruled high in price during the past few years, while rough- 

 ness of all kinds has remained relatively low in value until 

 the last year when hay has been abnormally high because the 

 dry weather which prevailed thruout the country during the 

 early part of the summer caused a shortage in this crop, the 

 effect of which will no doubt be but temporary. The cost of 

 hauling and shipping hay and other bulky feed is such as to 

 make it seem probable that the price of roughness on our Ne- 

 braska farms, many of them situated some distance from 

 stations, will not advance with corn in the future. Beef cat- 

 tle in the West are ordinarily fed all the grain they will con- 

 sume, very commonly by the use of self-feeders, having before 



