18 



BULLETIN 110, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



shows that a thin steer makes much more rapid gains during the 

 pasture season than one in good flesh. The gains also show that the 

 pastures used were good. 



Table 6. — Total and daily gains. 

 April 7 to August 3, 1910 (118 Days). 



Lot. 



Ration. 



Average 

 initial 

 weight 

 of each 

 steer. 



Average 



final 



weight 



of each 



steer. 



Average 

 total 

 gain 



of each 

 steer. 



Average 

 daily 

 gain. 



A 





Pounds. 

 544 

 576 

 563 



Pounds. 

 737 

 809 

 783 



Pounds. 

 193 

 233 

 220 



Pounds. 

 1.64 



B 





1.98 



G 





1.86 









April 21 to September 8, 1911 (141 Days). 



A 





563 

 565 



810 

 805 



247 

 240 



1.75 



B 





1.70 









In 1910 the steers of lot A which ran on pasture and had no feed 

 in addition made the smallest gains, each steer increasing 193 

 pounds in weight from April 7 to August 3. In lot B, where cotton- 

 seed cake supplemented the pasture, each steer made a total gain 

 of 233 pounds. The animals in lot G, where both cake and alfalfa 

 hay were used to supplement the pasture, made greater gains than 

 those which were on pasture alone, but did not gain as rapidly as 

 the steers in lot B, where cake was the only supplement. In this 

 case it did not pay to introduce the hay into the ration, as the gains 

 were not increased and the final selling value of the steers was not 

 enhanced. Alfalfa hay has a laxative tendency, and when it is fed in 

 conjunction with pasture and cake this tendency is magnified. The 

 steers gained at the average daily rate of 1.64, 1.98, and 1.86 pounds 

 in lots A, B, and G, respectively. 



In 1911 the results do not agree with the results of 1910 in respect 

 to the daily gains. It is noticeable, also, that the steers in lot 

 A, where nothing was fed except pasture, made more rapid gains 

 than those where cake was used as a supplement. The daily gains 

 in lots A and B were 1.75 and 1.70 pounds, respectively. But, as 

 will be seen in the financial statement, the feeding of the cake 

 did have a favorable influence, as the cake-fed steers sold for 1 cent 

 a pound more than the pasture-fed ones. The cake-fed steers also 

 dressed out a slightly higher percentage of marketable meat. The 

 cake-fed steers appeared to be in very much better condition and 

 their hair was very much sleeker and glossier than that of the others. 



