

CALF FEEDING IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI. 



33 



QUANTITY AND COST OF FEED TO MAKE 100 POUNDS OF GAIN. 



The most important data in any feeding experiment are those re- 

 lating to the daily ration, the rate of gain made by the animals, the 

 amount of feed which is required to make 100 pounds of gain in 

 weight, and the difference in selling price which results from the 

 different methods of feeding. With these figures any prospective 

 feeder can determine fairly accurately what feeds he had better use 

 in fattening his cattle, how much he will need, and the gains he may 

 expect ; and knowing the cost of his cattle and feeds and about what 

 the finished cattle will sell for he can approximate the profit or loss 

 which may result from fattening his stock. 



In the past farmers and stockmen have paid too little attention to 

 these figures and laid too much stress upon the financial outcome of 

 the special test to get the most good out of the experimental work. 



Table 18 shows the amount of feed required to produce 100 pounds 

 of gain in weight on the calves and also the comparative cost of 100 

 pounds of gain. 



Table 18. — Quantity and cost of feed required to make 100 pounds of gain, and 

 selling price of calves (Nov. 12, -1915, to Apr. 12, 1916, 156 days). 



Selling 

 price of 

 calves 

 per 100 

 pounds. 



[Cottonseed meal 



1 <Corn silage 



1 1 Alfalfa 



I Cottonseed meal 

 Shelled corn.... 

 Corn silage 

 Alfalfa hay 



| (Shelled corn 



3 {Corn silage 



j (Alfalfa hay 



Feed to 



Cost 



make 100 



of 100 



pounds 



pounds 



of gain. 



gain. 1 



Pounds. 





213 



I 



1,318 



} $6. 86 



2G8 



J 



88 



1 



353 



1,025 



| 9.05 



269 



J 



489 



1 



709 



} 9.14 



250 



1 



1 Prices of feeds used: Cottonseed meal, S27 per ton; corn, 70 cents per bushel; corn silage, $3 per ton; 

 alfalfa hay, $15 per ton. 



The calves in all three lots received the same kind of roughage, 

 but ate varying amounts, dependent upon their appetites after con- 

 suming their grain. The daily gain of the calves in all lots was 

 fairly uniform, but the amount of roughage consumed varied con- 

 siderably. This variation is reflected in the amount of roughage 

 required to make 100 pounds of gain. 



The amount of feed required to make 100 pounds of gain is seen 

 to be 213 pounds of cottonseed meal, 1,318 pounds of silage, and 

 268 pounds of alfalfa hay for lot 1 ; 88 pounds of cottonseed meal, 

 353 pounds of shelled corn, 1,025 pounds of silage, and 269 pounds 

 of alfalfa for lot 2 ; and 489 pounds of shelled corn, 769 pounds of 

 silage, and 250 pounds of alfalfa for lot 3. 



