FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



of the beef raisers of that state use 

 linseed meal in fattening steers. The 

 amount used a day ranges from 1-5 of 

 a pound to 6 pounds, with an aver- 

 age of 2.2 pounds for all cattle and 3 

 pounds for fattening steers. In the 

 opinion of Illinois feeders, the great 

 value of linseed meal toward the close 

 of the fattening period is noted in the 

 improvement of the finish of the steer 

 and as an aid to digestion. Some feed- 

 ers use it only when stock is out of 

 condition ; others, when corn is high, but 

 many men use it in all cases. In most 

 instances it should be fed in small quan- 

 tities as a part of the grain ration, for 

 the reason that it is usually rather ex- 

 pensive. In Iowa, linseed meal has been 

 found inferior to corn for steers at pas- 

 ture, partly on account of the fact that 

 it is somewhat laxative and, together 

 with grass, makes the bowels too loose. 

 Similarly in Ohio, it proved inferior to 

 gluten meal under the same conditions. 

 In a test made at the Kansas experiment 

 station, an exclusive diet of linseed meal 

 did not give as good results as com 

 meal alone, or as a well-balanced ration. 



Oats — In Montana, oats has been 

 tested for fattening steers, used as the 

 only grain, or mixed with equal parts 

 of wheat and barley, all chopped to- 

 gether. The mixed grain ration proved 

 superior to any kind of grain used 

 alone. When the efficiency of the mixed 

 grain ration was estimated at 100, oats 

 was placed at 84. In the test in ques- 

 tion, the lot which received mixed grains 

 gained 281 pounds during a feeding 

 period of ordinary length, while those 

 which received oats gained only 188 

 pounds during the same period. While 

 the individual difference is not great, it 

 would amount to $352 in a bunch of 

 100 steers. 



In other experiments with oats, this 

 grain did not give satisfactory results 

 in fattening steers. Nevertheless, prac- 

 tical farmers obtain fine profits from 

 oats when fed in connection with other 

 grains. In recent years oats have been 

 fed to steers less extensively than bar- 

 ley and wheat, this condition being due 

 to the relatively high price of oats and 

 the demands for this grain in horse 

 feeding. In Texas, oats were found to 

 be equal to corn chops for fattening 

 steers, while in some experiments in 

 Wyoming, chopped oats were fed to 

 steers at a loss. According to Cana- 

 dian experience, oats in the sheaf possess 



a smaller feeding value than wild rye 

 grass. In Canada, oatmeal has been fed 

 to steers and was found to be inferior to 

 wheat for fattening purposes. 



Peas — In Canada and the northern 

 tier of states, peas enter into the ration 

 of nearly all the domestic animals and 

 have been largely used for steers. Pea 

 meal in Toronto was found to be infe- 

 rior to corn meal, while in a later test 

 it gave greater but more expensive 

 gains. Peas and oats mixed have been 

 found in Canada to be inferior to wheat 

 or oatmeal. Pea meal constitutes a por- 

 tion of the mixed meal, which is almost 

 universally used in fattening steers in 

 Canada. Moreover, the large cattle feed- 

 ing companies use peas or pea meal ex- 

 tensively and report good results. 



Rice products — According to Fraps 

 at the Texas experiment station, the use 

 of rice hulJs in large quantities is at- 

 tended with some danger, on account of 

 the fact that the hulls are composed of 

 numerous sharp-pointed fibers, which 

 irritate the stomach walls. It is re- 

 ported that a cattle company in Texas 

 attempted to use rice hulls as a roughage 

 for cattle, but had to give it up for 

 the reason that the animals vomited 

 after the continued use of this feed. In 

 some localities rice hulls are used for 

 fuel rather than feed. Rice polish con- 

 tains much less crude fiber and is com- 

 paratively rich in carbohydrates, while 

 rice bran is, according to its analysis, 

 somewhat better than corn or corn meal 

 and nearly equal to oats or wheat. It 

 appears as the result of experiments thus 

 far carried on, that rice hulls have a 

 very low feeding value, while rice pol- 

 ish is perhaps superior to corn, as is 

 also a good quality of rice bran. 



Considerable attention has been given 

 to rice products by the Texas experiment 

 station. In one set of experiments, in 

 1903, rations were fed to steers contain- 

 ing cottonseed meal, rice hulls, rice bran, 

 cottonseed hulls and molasses. In 1904, 

 rice bran and cottonseed meal were 

 used as the grain ration for five different 

 lots of steers, in which the effective- 

 ness of sorghum hay, cowpea hay, pea- 

 nut hay, alfalfa hay and cottonseed 

 hulls were compared. In steer rations, 

 the use of rice bran was found to be 

 inferior to cottonseed meal. The sub- 

 stitution of double the weight of rice 

 bran for a part of the cottonseed meal 

 in the ration proved more profitable 

 . than the addition of rice bran to a full 



