FEEDING EXPERIMENTS WITH BEEF CATTLE. 



Dressing Percentages. 



39 



The dressing percentages are given for the last year of the experiment 

 only. Conditions would not permit obtaining this data the first year. 

 The results secured during the second year, however, are quite striking. 

 The average dressing percentage of the steers fed cottonseed hulls was 

 51.7 per cent ; those fed corn silage dressed 53.8 per cent ; and those 

 fed corn silage and corn stover dressed 53.9 per cent. 



The cattle fed corn silage were pronounced hy three different parties 

 to be the best, with a comparatively small difference between this lot and 

 the cattle fed corn stover and corn silage. 



The butcher reported the beef from the steers fed on corn silage to 

 be the best, with a slight distinction between this lot and the lot fed 

 corn stover and corn silage. The chief comments made by the butcher 

 were that lots 1 and 2 cut to better advantage, giving a larger proportion 

 of high grade cuts, both from the standpoint of quantity and quality. 

 His patrons pronounced the meat to be of excellent grain and flavor. 



In table 6 is given the dressing percentages of each steer used during 

 the second year of v the experiment, also the average dressing percentage 

 for each of the three lots of cattle. 



TABLE 6 SHOWING THE DRESSING PERCENTAGES OF STEERS FED IN THREE 

 LOTS ON DIFFERENT RATIONS DURING 1910-1911. 



Financial Statement. 



Financial statements showing the absolute cost of fattening beef cattle 

 will vary quite materially from year to year. For example the original 

 cost of the cattle, their selling price, the cost of the feeds and the method 

 of management will all be influencing factors. For this reason the fol- 

 lowing financial statements should not be taken to represent the actual 

 cost of fattening beef cattle, but rather the relative cost depending on 



