CALF FEEDING IN" ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI. 



17 



prices of the State. In this test, as well as in the previous one, the 

 cost of making 100 pounds of gain was not excessive. 



Table 8. — Quantity and cost of feed required to make 100 pounds of gain. 



Lot 



No. 



Ration. 



Total 



Average 



feed 



feed to 



eaten 



make 100 



by each 



pounds 



calf. 



of gain. 



Pounds. 



Pounds. 



245 



175 



1,329 



946 



164 



144 



617 



536 



82 



72 



1,249 



1,084 



267 



176 



614 



438 



1,225 



875 



cost of 

 feed to 

 make 100 

 pounds 

 of gain. 



/Cottonseed meal 



\Cottonseed hulls 



I Cottonseed meal, two-thirds 

 Cottonseed hulls 

 Corn chop, one-third 

 Corn silage 



(Cottonseed meal 



^Cottonseed hulls 



I Corn silage 



?5.59 

 6.09 



5.13 



The cheapest gains were made in lot 3, where a ration of cotton- 

 seed meal, cottonseed hulls, and corn silage was used, as each 100 

 pounds of increase in live weight cost $5.13. It should not be in- 

 ferred immediately, however, from the above that this combination 

 of feeds is the best of the three. The cost of the gains does not 

 determine absolutely the final profits. Although the cost of the 

 gains is a very important factor in determining final profits, there 

 are other factors which must be taken, into consideration as well. 

 The final selling price of the cattle must be considered as an impor- 

 tant factor. If expensive gains are accompanied by a proportionate 

 increase in the final value and selling price of the cattle, the cost of 

 the gains is a minor consideration; but if expensive gains do not 

 increase the final selling price of the animal in proportion to the 

 increased expense of making the gains those feeds which have caused 

 the expensive gains should be eliminated. The most expensive gains 

 were encountered in lot 2, where corn chop replaced a part of the 

 cottonseed meal. In this lot it cost $6.09 to make 100 pounds of 

 increase in weight. Where only cottonseed meal and cottonseed hulls 

 were fed (lot 1) each 100 pounds of gain was made at a cost of $5.59. 



When the results of lots 1 and 3 are compared it is seen that 875 

 pounds of corn silage saved 508 pounds of cottonseed hulls. At this 

 rate 1 ton of corn silage saved 1,161 pounds of cottonseed hulls; 

 when hulls are valued at $7 a ton the corn silage, therefore, was 

 worth for fattening these calves $4.06 a ton. 



FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE SILAGE PERIOD. 



The supply of silage was exhausted March 3, 1913. The calves 

 had been in the feed lot only 91 days and they were not in condition 

 to be sold at that date. Therefore they were all thrown together 

 16709°— 18— Bull. 631 3 



