4 BULLETIN 631, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



original intention had been to begin the winter feeding work in the 

 fall just as soon as the pastures were exhausted and the milk flow 

 of the dams diminished, to avoid losing any part of the calf fat, 

 but on account of a short unavoidable delay the feeding was not 

 begun until the above-mentioned date. In the meantime the calves 

 doubtless lost a few pounds in weight after the pastures became 

 short. This, of course, was unfortunate. 



The calves were weighed individually on November 16 and IT, 

 and the average of the two weights taken to determine the initial 

 weight. The test began, therefore, on November IT, but on the day 

 previous the calves were tagged and numbered, dehorned, the males 

 castrated, and the whole number divided into three lots as nearly 

 equal in size, quality, and breeding as possible. Each lot of calves 

 was fed from November IT, 1911, to March 3, 1912, a period of 10T 

 days, on the following feeds : 



Lot 1. Cottonseed meal ; cottonseed hulls ; mixed alfalfa hay. 



Lot 2. Cottonseed meal, two-thirds ; corn-and-eob meal, one-third ; cottonseed 

 hulls ; mixed alfalfa has'. 



Lot 3. Cottonseed meal, one-third ; corn-and-cob meal, two-thirds ; cottonseed 

 hulls ; mixed alfalfa hay. 



SHELTER AND LOTS. 



The calves were young, so each lot was provided with shelter 

 sufficiently good to turn the cold rains and break the cold north winds. 

 Shelter would not have been necessary for mature steers, but the ex- 

 perience of former work 1 thoroughly demonstrated that young calves 

 will not do well, even this far south, without some protection from 

 the cold winds and rains of the winter months. Each lot of calves 

 was confined in a ^-acre paddock and the calves had the privilege of 

 staying either in the open lots or under the sheds. The lots were not 

 paved. The winter of 1911-12 was unusually wet, consequently the 

 uncovered parts of the lots became excessively muddy at times. The 

 ground floors of the sheds were always dry, however, so the calves 

 had comfortable and convenient places in which to lie down. 



METHOD OF FEEDING AND HANDLING THE CALVES. 



The calves were fed twice each day ; the first feed was given about 

 T o'clock in the morning, and the second at 5 o'clock in the evening. 

 The concentrated feeds were placed in troughs, each of which was 

 about 12 feet long and 3 feet wide. When both cottonseed meal and 

 corn-and-cob meal were used they were mixed thoroughly with the 

 cottonseed hulls. The hay was fed in separate hay racks. The con- 

 centrated feeds were fed in such amounts that the troughs were 

 cleaned thoroughly within one hour after feeding, but hay was kept 

 in the racks all the time. Both the troughs and the racks were under 



1 Bureau of Animal Industry Bulletin 147 and Alabama Experiment Station Bulle- 

 tin 158. 



