16 



BULLETIN 870, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



COST PER POUND OF GAIN. 



The cost of producing a pound of gain is the main factor in deter- 

 mining -whether a steer is being produced at a profit or a loss. The 

 cost of feeding a steer during the winter, plus the cost of pasture 

 the following summer, is the total cost of feeding the steer for the 

 year: By dividing this amount by the increase in weight of the 

 steer, the cost of producing a pound of gain may be ascertained. 

 From Table 8 it will be noted that the winter cost constitutes approxi- 

 mately two-thirds of the total cost for the year. Practically all the 

 gain, however, is made during the summer or pasture season. Hence 

 the cost of wintering becomes the governing factor in determining 

 the cost of a pound of gain. A summary of gains and costs is given 

 in Table 9. 



Table 9. — Summary of gains and costs. 















Total 











Total 







cost of 











gam, 



Cost 

 per 



Cost 



feed 



Cost 



Lots 

 No 



Ration. 



Year. 



winter 

 and 



per 



steer, 



and 

 pasture 



per 



pound 









summer. 



winter. 



sum- 



per 



yearly 









per 



mer. 1 



year 



gain. 









steer. 







per 

 steer. 











Pounds. 











1 



Corn silage, mixed hay, and wheat 



1914-15 



313 



S13. 71 



$8.40 



S22. 11 



SO. 070 





stravi . 



1915-16 



344 



13.74 



8.35 



22.09 



.064 







1916-17 



289 



16.03 



7.85 



23.88 



.083 





316 



14.49 



8.20 



22.69 



.072 





Corn silase, wheat straw, and cotton- 



1914-15 





2 



328 



14.47 



8.40 



22. S7 



.070 





seed meal. 



1915-16 



358 



14.34 



8.35 



22.69 



.063 







1916-17 



310 



14.60 



7.85 



22.45 



.072 





Average 



Mixed hav and wheat straw 



1917-18 

 1914-15 



298 



13.88 



7.00 



20.88 



.070 





324 



14.32 



7.90 



22.22 



.069 



3 



269 



13.62 



8.40 



22.02 



.0S2 







1915-16 



303 



15.03 



8.35 



23.38 



.077 







1916-17 



276 



16.74 



■ 7.85 



24.59 



.089 







1917-18 



249 



17.30 



7.00 



24.30 



.097 





274 



15.67 



7.90 



23.57 



.086 





Corn silage and sov-bean hay 



1917-18 

 1917-18 





4 



267 



14.76 



7.00 



21.76 



.081 





Corn silage, rye hay, and cottonseed 





5 



292 



16.82 



7.00 



23.82 



.081 





meal. 















1 The co<t of summer feed is calculated at the same rate for each lot each year, charging the pasture at 5 

 cents a day, as follows: 



168 davs, 1915 $8. 40 



167 davs, 1916 8. 35 



157 davs, 1917 7. 85 



140 days, 1918 7. 00 



The steers of Lots 2, which were fed corn silage, wheat straw, and 

 col tonseed meal, made the greatest gams during the year at least cost 

 for feed. Hence the cost of a pound of gain was lowest for these lots, 

 the average for four years being 6.9 cents. 



Lots 1, fed corn silage, mixed hay, and wheat straw, put on gains 

 at an average cost of 7.2 cents a pound. 



