WINTER RATIONS OF YEARLING STEERS. 



17 



Steers fed mixed hay and wheat straw, which is by far the most 

 commonly used ration in the section under discussion, made smaller 

 yearly gains at greater cost than did the steers of the two lots afore- 

 mentioned. It cost 8.6 cents to put on a pound of gain when the 

 wintering ration consisted of mixed hay and wheat straw. 



The cost of producing a pound of gain was comparatively high in 

 Lots 4 and 5, being 8.1 cents a pound for each lot. The rations used, 

 while an improvement over the commonly used combinations of 

 mixed hay and wheat straw, were too costly, when resulting gains 

 are considered, to be recommended except when mixed hay is not 

 available. 



VALUE OF GAINS. 



In Table 10 the increase in value per steer is shown. The initial 

 cost plus the cost of feed and pasture is the total cost of the steer at 

 the close of the pasture season. The appraised valuation of the steers 

 at this time was $2 per hundredweight more than the initial cost per 

 hundredweight the preceding fall. While this is an arbitrary valua- 

 tion, nevertheless it represents a very conservative figure, the actual 

 increase in most instances being much more. 



The cost of labor and other cost factors are not considered; such 

 items would be more than offset by the value of the manure from the 

 cattle. 



Table 10. — Summary of costs showing increased value of steers at end of winter feeding 



period. 



Lots 

 No. 



Year. 



Initial 



value per 



steer. 



Cost to 



feed each 



steer one 



year. 



Value of 

 steer, in- 

 eluding 

 cost of 

 feed and 

 pasture. 



Ap- 

 praised 

 value of 

 steer at 

 end of 

 year. 



Increase 



over 



initial 



value plus 



cost of 



feed and 



pasture. 



1 



1914-15 -. 



£40.43 



44.07 

 48.30 



$22. 11 

 22.09 

 23.88 



$62. 54 

 66.16 

 72. 18 



$79. 48 

 86.87 

 88.11 



$16. 94 





191.5-16. 



20.71 





1916-17 



15.93 











44.27 



22.69 



66.96 



84.82 



17.86 





1914-15 





2 



40.17 

 44.07 

 48.30 

 50.33 



22.87 

 22.69 

 22.45 

 20.88 



63.04 

 66.76 

 70.75 

 71.21 



80.50 

 88.06 

 90.00 

 92.06 



17.46 





1915-16 J 



21.30 





1916-17... 



19.25 





1917-18 



20.85 











45.72 



22.22 



67.94 



87.66 



19.72 





1914-15 





3 



40.50 

 44.07 

 48.30 

 50.33 



22.02 

 23.38 

 24.59 

 24.30 



62.52 

 67.45 

 72.89 

 74.63 



75.82 

 83.39 

 86.85 

 89.11 



13.30 





1915-16. . 



15.94 





1916-17 



13.96 





1917-18 



14.48 











45.80 



23.57 



69.37 



83.79 



14.42 





1917-18 





4 



50.33 



21. 76 



72.09 



91.49 



19.40 





1917-18 





5 



50.33 



23.82 



74.15 



87.40 



13.25 









The estimated value per hundredweight at the end of the pasture 

 season of all lots was the same, regardless of the extra finish due to 



