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



and then wean the calves in the spring and feed them out on pasture 

 for the fall market. In case the calves would not become sufficiently 

 fat and heavy on pasture, they were to be finished in the dry lot 

 the following fall. 



PLAN AND OBJECT OF THE WORK. 



The objects of the work were as follows: 



1. To determine if short-aged or late summer calves could be fed 

 out or finished economically and profitably the following year. 



2. To learn whether cottonseed cake or a mixture of cottonseed 

 cake and shelled corn was most satisfactory and profitable as a 

 grain ration for fattening calves on grass and in the dry lot. 



The dams of the calves ran in the stalk fields and meadows of the 

 plantation during most of the winter, but during the latter part they 

 were fed some rough hay, silage, and a small amount of either cotton- 

 seed or cottonseed cake. The calves ran with their dams during this 

 period and picked up some feed. They were from 6 to 8 months old 

 in the spring when they were taken from their dams, weaned, divided 

 into two lots as nearly equal in quality, breeding, and size as it was 

 possible to get them, and put on pasture, where they were to be 

 given a supplemental grain ration once a day. 



The calves were principally grade Shorthorns and Eed Polls, 

 although a few calves of other breeding were among them. 



Water was obtained from pools or ponds in the pasture, and these 

 became very muddy and foul from the calves standing in them. This 

 is the common method of watering cattle in the prairie region of 

 Mississippi and Alabama. 



CHARACTER AND PRICES OF FEEDS USED. 



The two lots of cah T es were grazed on pastures as nearly uniform, 

 with respect to the character of grasses, amount of grazing, character 

 of soil and water, as it was possible to get. The pastures used were 

 native unimproved prairie pastures with some relatively unimportant 

 native grasses and Lespedeza or Japan clover growing on them. 

 The Lespedeza furnished the principal grazing, although there was 

 some crab grass and foxtail which was grazed to a certain extent. 

 The pastures had many bare places where no plants grew. Good 

 improved pastures could be made on such land by plowing, disking, 

 and planting to good grasses and legumes., but in their native state 

 they were relatively poor prairie pastures. About 4 acres were 

 allowed for each calf. 



The summer of 1916* was an unusually droughty one, and as a 

 result the pastures were poor and short all summer. There was no 



