CALF FEEDING IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI. 



sounds in the summer. The calves, however, had not been pampered 

 in any way during the summer months; they simply had run with 

 their dams on a reasonably good pasture. 



Table 2 shows that exceedingly satisfactory gains were secured 

 during this winter test : 



Table 2. — Weights, total gains, and average, daily gains (November 17, 1911, to 



March 3, 1912). 



r,ot 



Number 



No. 



of calves. 



1 



16 



2 



15 



3 



16 



Ration. 



Average 

 initial 



weight of 

 calves. 



Average 



final 



weight of 



calves. 



Total 



gain of 



each calf. 



Average 

 daily 

 gain of 



each calf. 



[Cottonseed meal 



■(Cottonseed hulls 



I Mixed alfalfa hay 



I Cottonseed meal , two-thirds. . . 

 Corn-and-cob meal, one-third. . 

 Cottonseed hulls 

 Mixed alfalfa hay 



I Cottonseed meal , one-third 

 Corn-and-cob meal, two-thirds 

 Cottonseed hulls 

 Mixed alfalfa hay 



Pounds. 

 376 



376 



Pounds. 

 584 



Pounds. 

 208 



1S7 



Pounds. 

 1.94 



1.75 



1.59 



The gains were all satisfactory, but an exact reverse of the results 

 secured the previous winter. In the previous year's test the calves 

 that were fed corn-and-cob meal along with the cottonseed meal 

 gained more rapidly than those that ate cottonseed meal as the sole 

 concentrate, and the greater the amount of corn-and-cob meal eaten 

 the more rapid the gains. The calves in lot 1, which ate cottonseed 

 meal, gained at an average daily rate of 1.94 pounds, while the 

 calves in lots 2 and 3, where the cottonseed meal was supplemented 

 and partly replaced by corn-and-cob meal gained at the respective 

 rates of 1.75 and 1.59 pounds daily. The only explanation that can 

 be offered is that the calves of all lots were fed more concentrate per 

 head daily during the winter of 1910-11 than they were during the 

 winter of 1911-12, and the amount of concentrates fed for lots 2 and 

 3 in 1911-12 was too small to make large gains on fattening calves. 



When sold, March 3, 1912, these calves were, on the average, about 

 12 months old. Those in lot 1 had attained an average weight of 584 

 pounds, but those in lots 2 and 3 were somewhat lighter. Although 

 not large, these calves were perhaps as large at 12 months as the 

 average southern steer at twice the age. The increased size was 

 due partly to the infusion of some good beef blood and partly to 

 liberal feeding and good care. 



QUANTITY AND COST OF FEED REQUIRED TO MAKE 100 POUNDS 



OF GAIN. 



The finishing or fattening period continued from November 17, 

 1911, to March 3, 1912, a period of 107 days. During this time the 

 calves were fed practically all they would eat, especially of the 



