FEEDING OF BEEF COWS IN THE CORN BELT, 3 



straw so wasted might be used to replace some of the more valuable 

 feeds that beef cows receive- It is true that in many parts of the 

 country in times past it has been better farm economy to allow these 

 products to be destroyed rather than to try to use them. However, 

 under present conditions, not only is it necessary that cattle should 

 be handled in such a manner as to use as much of these by-products 

 as possible, but also, if possible, the farm business should be arranged 

 so that enough stock is kept to consume fully these cheap roughages. 

 These cheaper rough feeds can be utilized more fully than is cus- 

 tomary and much less grain and hay need be fed to breeding herds. 

 This is demonstrated by the results of the investigation upon which 

 this bulletin is based. In this investigation approximately 1,000 

 farms were visited, and detailed information was obtained on the 

 cost of maintaining the breeding herds on these farms as well as on 



Fig. 1. — Here the straw is fed in the winter feed lot, where the cattle run to the stack 

 and trample under foot the straw they do not eat. In this particular case the straw 

 is not even saved for manure. 



the cost of producing the feeder cattle. In addition to the cost 

 accounting figures, a study also was made of the methods used in 

 caring for the cattle. This study is based on records from 478 of 

 these farms, upon which the breeding herds were kept solely for the 

 production of calves to be fed out as baby beef, tWo-year-olds, or 

 three-year-olds. On these farms the average cost of a calf at wean- 

 ing time, figuring all expenses and deducting all credits, was $37. 

 There was, however, a very wide range in the cost of these calves, 

 depending somewhat on the locality in which the calves were raised 

 and very largely on the methods followed in producing them. On 

 some farms this cost was as low as $25 per calf, while on others it 

 exceeded $50. 



On the farms visited there was a very wide range both in the 

 quantity and the kind of rations fed. Some farmers were feeding 

 a ration that was hardly adequate, while others were giving their 



