

CALF FEEDING IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI. 31 



The feeds were charged at the following prices : 



Cottonseed meal per ton $27.00 



Corn per bushel— . 70 



Corn silage per ton__ 3. 00 



Alfalfa hay do 15. 00 



AVERAGE DAILY RATIONS. 



As all the calves were accustomed to alfalfa they were started 

 on about 6 pounds of alfalfa hay and about 15 pounds of silage per 

 day. The silage was increased rapidly as the calves became accus- 

 tomed to it until at the end of two weeks they were given all they 

 would clean up within one hour after feeding. As the calves were 

 to be fed a long period they were started on a small amount of 

 grain and this was very gradually increased until the fourth month 

 after which they were given the maximum amount of grain until the 

 close of the test. 



It is a well-known fact that cattle to be fed for a long period 

 will make almost as large gains and much more economical gains 

 if they are fed a medium grain ration with all the good roughage 

 they will eat for first part of the feeding period, and then given a 

 heavy grain ration during the latter part of the period. This method 

 was followed. 



Table 16 shows the average amount of feed consumed daily by 

 each of the calves in lots 1, 2, and 3 for each 28-day period they 

 were fed. 





Table 16. — Ave' 



•age daily rations by 2 



8-day periods, 1915-16. 





Lot 

 No. 



Ration. 



First 

 period. 



Second 

 period. 



Third 

 period. 



Fourth 

 period. 



Fifth 

 period. 



Sixth 



period 



(16 days). 



Average 



for 



entire 



of 156 



days. 







Pounds. 

 2.2 

 16.8 

 5.9 

 1.00 

 4.1 

 14.7 

 5.8 

 6.0 

 13.6 

 5.5 



Pounds. 

 2.7 



22.7 

 5.8 

 1.2 

 4.8 



18.3 

 5.4 

 7.1 



13.7 

 5.6 



Pounds. 

 3.5 



23.8 

 4.0 

 1.3 

 5.4 



18.3 

 4.0 

 8.1 



15.6 

 4.0 



Pounds. 

 4.3 



25.3 

 4.0 

 1.6 

 6.6 



18.9 

 4.0 

 9.7 



14.3 

 4.0 



Pounds. 

 5.0 



23.7 

 4.0 

 2.0 

 8.0 



16.2 

 3.9 



11.1 



12.1 

 3.6 



Pounds. 

 5.0 



26.7 

 4.0 

 2.0 

 8.0 



18.6 

 4.0 



12.2 



13.3 

 4.0 



Pounds. 

 3.69 



1 





22.87 







4.65 







1.49 





J Shelled corn 



6.01 







17.43 







4.57 







8.78 



3 





13.80 







4.49 









During the first 28-day period each calf in lot 1 consumed 2.2 

 pounds of cottonseed meal, 2.7 pounds for the second period, and this 

 amount was increased gradually as the feeding progressed until dur- 

 ing the fifth and sixth periods the calves were on full feed, eating 5 

 pounds of cottonseed meal per head per day. The calves consumed 

 5.9 pounds of alfalfa and 16.8 pounds of corn silage per head per day 

 the first period, but the hay was decreased after the second period to 



