40 MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION 



feed large quantities of grain to cattle at a profit requires close 

 figuring and most intelligent management. 



The economy of feeding large quantities of grain, especially of 

 nitrogenous composition, with clover and alfalfa hay has often been 

 questioned. While there is a great deal yet to be learned some 

 valuable information has been secured. Results of experi- 

 ments in which nitrogenous hay and grain were fed, tend to show 

 that the gain is not in proportion to the amount of grain fed, es- 

 pecially when the grain is fed in large quantities. 



In the experiments herein reported, the maximum amount of grain 

 fed was small compared with the amount often recommended and 

 fed in some sections of the country, yet the results indicate that even 

 less than this amount can be most profitably fed when it and the 

 forage is nitrogenous. 



Work on the problem began at this experiment station in the 

 winter of 1900-1901 and has been carried on for five years. The 

 first experiment was not intended to throw light on the economy 

 of feeding different amounts of grain to steers, but as the results 

 were satisfactory in a way, they are used here for comparison. 



The method of feeding, dividing the cattle into lots according 

 to individuality, so that all would be on an equal basis, the weather 

 conditions, the preliminary .feeding, etc., are not given here as this 

 has been given in previous bulletins. The different lots were of 

 equal quality, except the lots fed in the winter of 1900-1901, and any 

 condition that affected one, affected all. Not less than six nor more 

 than eleven steers were fed in one lot any year and they were well 

 filled when the initial weights were secured so that the increase was 

 actual gain. The hay being out of doors, equal volumes of it varied 

 in weight at times on account of snow and rain and for this reason 

 the results are not as valuable as they would have been, could the 

 hay have been kept dry. More or less of the variation in the results 

 from year to year was probably due to this condition. The condi- 

 tions under which the work was carried on were not satisfactory, 

 but a few practical conclusions are drawn which will suffice until 

 a suitable barn is built, after which the same line of work will be 

 continued. 



