COLORADO EXPERIMENT STATION 



FEEDING TWO WINTERS OR ONE 



In considering winter-feeding for two winters compared with 

 feeding the third winter only, we must note first of all that the steers 

 fed as yearlings weighed 261 pounds per head more at marketing 

 than the steers fed the last winter only, and were worth 45 cents 

 per cwt. more than the latter. They were both heavier and fatter. 

 Whether this extra weight and fatness paid for the feed put into 

 them as yearlings is problematic. The feed for the steers, brought 

 to the College in different seasons was not kept separate, so that the 

 feed per head as shown in the following table is an average for all 

 the steers: 



AVERAGE FEED AND GAIN PER HEAD 

 and and 3rd Winters 



NOTE Price of corn, $1.00 per hundred; price of alfalfa, $5.00 per ton; price of 

 beets, $5.00 per ton. 



AVERAGE FEED AND GAIN PER HEAD 2ND AND 3RD WINTERS. 



The steers denoted in the second column of this table as "held 

 over," comprised six head of the steers fed as calves, and 14 head of 

 those brought in as yearlings. The average feed per head for these 

 during the second winter was 992 pounds of corn, 1306 pounds of 

 sugar beets, and 2644 pounds of hay, or in round numbers l / 2 ton 

 corn, 2*4 tons of hay, and 2/3 of a ton of sugar beets. At the prices 

 listed, this feed cost about $20.00 per head ($19.89). With alfalfa 

 hay at $10.00 per ton, the cost of feed would be raised to about 

 $26.00 per head. 



Now for returns. Assuming that the feed during the third 

 winter, for the two lots under discussion, was approximately equal, 

 as assumption not out of the way, the extra income from the steers 

 fed two winters may be credited against the first winter's feed. Re- 

 ferring again to Table A, we find the steers fed the second and 

 third winters weighed 1407 pounds per head at the close. This 

 weight at an advance of 45 cents per cwt. over the other steers, 

 means $6.33 credit. Then 261 pounds extra weight at $6.20 gives 

 $16.18, or a total of $22.51 to credit against the feed. And yet 

 another item is to be taken into consideration, the College range 

 is not good range late in the summer, which accounts for the low 

 gains made each summer. Any range man would expect to secure 

 larger gains than are shown by the spring and fall weights of these 

 steers. So that with this evidence before us, I believe the winter 



