40 BULLETIN 110, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



The steers in the experiments sold for about 4^ cents a pound on 

 the farm, so we have the following statement: 



To cost of wintering 1 steer $4. 25 



By value of 60 pounds increase in weight, at \\ cents a pound $2. 70 



By increased value of 17 cents per hundredweight on the heavier steers 

 over the lighter ones necessary to break even 1. 55 



Total 4. 25 4. 25 



From the above it is seen that the winter-fed steers would have 

 to sell for 17 cents per hundred pounds more than the others to pay 

 for the winter feed. A reliable commission man of New Orleans 

 stated that the heavier steers would sell for about 25 cents per 

 hundredweight more on that market, while buyers from Atlanta, 

 Ga., and Meridian, Miss., who purchased some of the steers, stated 

 that for their trade there was not enough difference in weight to 

 cause a variation in price. 



SUMMARY. 



1. Cattle which became very thin during the winter made larger 

 daily gains the following summer on pasture than steers which were 

 in better flesh at the beginning of the pasture season. 



2. Usually the greater the winter loss experienced, the greater 

 was the gain the following summer, and vice versa. 



3. Steers winch are to be finished for the early summer markets 

 should enter the pastures in good flesh in the spring. Such cattle 

 sell for a premium which justifies the expense of giving them feed in 

 addition to the range during the winter months and a heavy ration 

 of cottonseed cake while on pasture during the summer. 



4. Although steers which were wintered on range alone made larger 

 gains during the summer, the total gains made from fall until the 

 steers were sold were usually smaller than those made by steers 

 which were given feed in addition to winter range and subsequently 

 finished on pasture. 



5. The difference in live weight amounted to 109 pounds per 

 steer at the beginning of the pasture season and 60 pounds per steer 

 at the time the steers were sold. This difference in weight was in 

 favor of the winter-fed steers. 



6. Steers which had been wintered on a half ration of cowpea hay 

 and range made practically the same gains during the combined 

 winter and summer periods as steers that were wintered on a half 

 ration of meal and hulls plus range. 



7. When cotton seed is worth but $14 per ton it can be used with 

 greater economy than cotton seed meal and hulls for wintering 

 steers which are to be finished on pasture the following summer. 

 The average daily gain with cotton seed for the combined winter 

 and summer periods was 1 pound per day, or slightly smaller than 

 for steers wintered on cowpea hay or cottonseed meal and hulls. 



