FATTENING CATTLE IN ALABAMA. 



21 



SLAUGHTER DATA. 



The experimental farm was located 9 miles from the railroad, so 

 the steers had to be driven that distance before being loaded on the 

 cars. They were all shipped to Meridian, Miss., a distance of 40 

 miles, but were on the cars about 14 hours owing to a long delay 

 through being sidetracked. The steers were weighed on the farm 

 before being started on the road to the shipping point, as they were 

 sold by farm weights after a 3 per cent shrink. As soon as they 

 reached Meridian they were fed and watered, and after eating, drink- 

 ing, and resting each one was weighed again. 





Table 8.- 



—Slaughter data. 

 1910. 









Lot. 



Ration. 



Average 



farm 

 weight of 

 each steer 



after 3 

 per cent 

 shrink. 



Average 



market 



weight of 



each 



steer. 



Average 

 net 



shrink- 

 age. 



Per cent 

 of dressed 

 to market 



weight. 



A 





Pounds. 

 736 

 809 

 783 



Pounds. 

 706 

 785 

 714 



Pounds. 

 30 

 24 

 69 



Per <ient. 

 51.3 



B 





54.2 



G 



Pasture, cottonseed cake, and alfalfa hay. 





57.6 









1911. 



A 





810 

 805 



765 

 773 



45 

 32 



51.1 



B 





51.4 









In 1910 each steer in lots A, B, and G lost on the average 30, 24, 

 and 69 pounds, respectively, in weight as a result of being shipped. 

 It is seen that the hay-fed steers lost heavily in weight. On account 

 of suffering a heavy loss in transit these steers dressed out, by market 

 weights, a high percentage, or 57.6 per cent, while the steers in lots 

 A and B dressed only 51.3 and 54.2 per cent, respectively. In 1911 

 the two lots of steers finally dressed out practically the same. 



FINANCIAL STATEMENT. 



The cattle from both tests were sold to a buyer of Meridian, Miss. 

 Cattle were then, of course, much cheaper than they are now (1913), 

 and the prices seem low compared with present prices. In 1910 the 

 steers in lot A sold for 3^ cents a pound, those in lot B for 4 \ cents 

 a pound, and those in lot G for 4 cents a pound. In 1911 the steers 

 in lot A sold for 3^ cents a pound and those in lot B for 4£ cents a 

 pound. These cattle were all sold on the farm after a 3 per cent 

 shrink. The grass-fed steers made economical gains, but they sold 

 finally at a very low price; not so low, however, but that profits 

 were realized. 



