FATTENING CATTLE IN ALABAMA. 



19 



QUANTITY AND COST OF FEED REQUIRED TO MAKE 100 POUNDS OF 



GAIN. 



Table 7 shows the number of pounds of feed required to make 

 100 pounds of gain in each lot, the cost of the cottonseed cake to 

 make the gains, and also the cost when both the cake and the pas- 

 ture are charged against the gains. With the exception of the case 

 where alfalfa hay was used (lot G, 1910), the increase in live weight 

 during the fattening period was put on at a profit. That is, each 

 pound added to the weight of the steers during the fattening period 

 did not cost as much as it sold for on the market. This is an unusual 

 state of affairs in fattening cattle, as under average winter condi- 

 tions, and summer conditions also, where heavy supplementary grain 

 feed is given, each pound of increase during the fattening period is 

 made at a loss, the profit in feeding coming from the increase in 

 value of the original weight. 



The economical gains in these tests were mainly due to two factors : 

 First, the daily gains were satisfactory, notwithstanding the fact that 

 a small amount of high-priced feeds was consumed by each steer, and 

 second, the animals were grazing a pasture, which is the cheapest feed 

 that can possibly be obtained in Alabama. When a large amount of 

 concentrated feed is used to supplement the pasture, the cost of the 

 increase in weight will be much more expensive than was the case in 

 these experiments. 



Table 7. — Quantity and cost of feed required to make 100 pounds of gain. 

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



Lot. 



Ration. 



Quantity 

 of feed to 

 make 100 

 pounds of 

 of gain. 



Cost to make 100 

 pounds of gain. 



Not includ- 

 ing cost of 

 pasture. 



Including 

 cost of 

 pasture. 



Pasture alone 



Pasture and cottonseed cake 



Pasture, cottonseed cake, and alfalfa hay. 



Pounds. 



176 cake. 

 /I87 cake. 

 \122hay„ 



$2.29 

 3.41 



$1.10 

 3.19 



4.37 



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



Pasture alone 



Pasture and cottonseed cake. 



229 cake. . . 



$1.02 

 4.03 



The cheapest gains, of course, were made in the two lots where 

 nothing was fed but pasture. But the conclusion should not be 

 immediately drawn that the greatest profits were realized on these 

 two lots. While exceedingly economical gains were made, the steers 

 were cheap at the end on account of not being fat, and were sold for 

 low prices. The financial statement sets this forth. 



