10 . BULLETIN 628, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the winter of 32 pounds per steer or a daily loss of 0.24 pound. These 

 cattle in Lot 1 lost more than any of the cattle in the barn during 

 this winter's work. The silage cattle in Lot 2 lost 28 pounds per 

 steers, equal to a daily loss of 0.21 pound. 



The silage cattle in Lot 3 lost practically the same per steer for tne 

 winter as those in Lot 1. The cattle in Lot 3 made a total loss per 

 steer of 32 pounds for the winter. There was very little difference 

 in the losses on these three lots of cattle in the barns. The steers 

 in Lot 4 gained 17 pounds per head instead of losing weight as did 

 those wintered in the barns. 



During 1915-16 the cattle in Lot 1 were fed the same as those of 

 Lot 1 for the two previous winters. These steers lost a total of 35 

 pounds per animal for the winter, representing a daily loss of 0.29 

 pound. 



The silage cattle in Lot 2 lost 42 pounds per steer, while those in 

 Lot 3 on the same kind of feed, lost 40 pounds per steer. The dry- 

 fed cattle in Lot 1 this year made the smallest loss of any of the 

 cattle in the barns. The silage cattle in Lot 2 made the largest loss. 

 The winter-grazed cattle in Lot 4 made a gain during the winter of 

 26 pounds per head. These cattle were in good condition in* the 

 spring, after going through the winter on pasture. 



Although the cattle in Lots 1, 2, and 3 lost some weight each year, 

 they came through the winter in good, strong, thrifty condition, or 

 in such condition that when put on pasture they would improve from 

 the start and make good gains in weight during the grazing season. 



COST OF WINTERING. 



Stockmen are interested in the cost of wintering the cattle and 

 their cost per hundredweight in the spring resulting from the winter 

 feeding. This is ascertained by taking the initial cost in the fall, 

 adding the cost of wintering, and dividing this sum by the weight 

 in the spring. This cost in spring per hundred pounds is important 

 to stockmen who want to graze cattle during the summer and do not 

 know whether it would be cheaper to buy cattle in the fall and 

 winter them or whether it would be cheaper to buy them in the 

 spring. 



Table 4 shows the number of steers, rations, number of days win- 

 tered, fall prices per hundredweight, cost to feed each steer through 

 the winter, and spring cost per hundredweight for each of the three 

 years. 



