



BULLETIN 870, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



In making rye hay the seed is sown in the fall, as it would be for 

 raising grain, except that more seed per acre is used. In the spring 

 just before the rye blooms it is cut and cured. 



The composition and nutritive ratio of the rations fed are given in 

 Table 3. 



Table 3. — Dry matter, protein, carbohydrates, fat, and nutritive ratio of rations fed 



each year. 



Lot 

 No. 



Ration. 



Average 



quantity 



per 



steer 



daily. 



Composition. 



Nutritive 

 ratio. 



Dry 



matter. 



Protein. 



Carbo- 

 hydrates. 



Fat. 



1 





Pounds. 

 20.0 

 5.0 

 2.54 



Pounds. 

 5.26 

 4.39 

 2.33 



Pounds. 



0.220 



.200 



.018 



Pounds. 



3.000 



1. 985 



.891 



Pounds. 



0.140 



.055 



.013 



1 













> 1 :14.5 





Corn silasre 







---- 



11.98 



.438 



5.876 



.208 



1 



2 



23.1 

 4.9 

 1.0 



6.08 



4.49 



.93 



.254 

 .034 

 .334 



3. 465 

 1.720 

 .243 



.162 

 .025 

 .079 



I 







\ 1 :9. 7 













11.50 



.622 



5.428 



.266 



| 









3 



11.9 



4.07 



10. 45 

 3.73 



.476 

 .028 



4.724 

 V429 



.131 

 .020 



] 













\ 1:12.9 







14.18 



.504 



6. If 3 



.151 



J 









4 



20.0 

 (5.0 



5.26 

 5.48 



.220 

 .702 



3.000 

 2.352 



.140 

 .072 



| 













> 1 :6. 3 







10.74 



.922 



5.352 



.212 



1 











20.0 



0.0 



.5 



5.26 



5.51 



.46 



.220 

 .204 



.167 



3.000 



2.760 



.122 



.140 

 .066 

 .039 



1 













\ 1:10.9 













11.23 



.591 



5.882 



.245 











From the foregoing table it is seen that the quantity of dry mat- 

 ter fed was practically the same in all lots, the chief difference in the 

 ration being in the proportion of protein to carbohydrates. 



CHARACTER OF PASTURE. 



Each year the steers were turned on a rather rough pasture of 

 about 160 acres, one-fourth of which is in woodland. The pasture is 

 situated in a valley between two small mountains, and a small stream 

 which flows through it provides an abundance of fresh water at all 

 times throughout the summer. 



The soil is of limestone formation, and a good growth of blue grass 

 with much white clover is found on all parts of the pasture not in 

 timber. Under normal climatic conditions there is rainfall enough 

 to keep the grass growing throughout the season. The latter part of 

 the summer of 1917 was rather dry, however, and during August of 

 that year the steers made but small gains. 





