WINTER EATIOISTS AN^D PASTUEE GAIls^S OF CALVES. 3 



ration of which silage is a part, will not do well on grass the follow- 

 ing summer. 



OBJECTS AND PLAN OF THE WORK. 



The experiments as a whole had these general problems in view : 



1. To ascertain the effect of different wintering rations upon subsequent 

 pasture gains. 



2. To determine tlie most satisfactory and economical metliod of wintering. 



3. To determine tlie best method and the cost of raising beef cattle in West 

 Virginia. 



Two distinct phases of the problems as above outlined presented 

 themselves for solution: First, the keeping of grade beef cows to 

 raise calves; second, the wintering of calves, yearlings, and 2-year- 

 olds that are to be pastured the following summer and sold as stock- 

 ers, feeders, or fat cattle. This bulletin takes up the work with 

 calves. The results of the work with yearlings and cows are pub- 

 lished in United States Department of Agriculture Bulletins 870 

 and 1024, respectively. 



The work was carried on for a period of three years, in order to 

 have an average of feeds, cattle, seasons, and other conditions tend- 

 ing to produce variation. The general plan of the experiments, in- 

 cluding the rations used for the different lots of calves, is given in 

 Table 1. 



Table 1. — Plan of the three years' tvork. 



Lot No. 



Season. 



Calves 

 in lot. 



Winter feed. 



Summer feed. 



1 



(1916-17 

 11917-18 



1918-19 



10 



10 

 10 

 10 

 10 

 10 

 10 

 10 

 10 



Corn silage, rye hay, and cottonseed 

 meal, 

 do 



Pasture. 



Do. 

 Do. 





do 



i(191fi-17 



Corn silage and clover hay 



Do. 



2 



h917-18 

 ll918-19 

 I191&-17 

 ■^1917-18 

 [1918-19 



do 



Do. 





do 



Do. 



3 



Mixed hay and grain mixture >■ 



.... .do 



Do. 

 Do. 





do 



Do. 









I Grain mixture, parts by weight: 3 parts corn, 1 part bran, 1 part linseed meal. 

 KIND OF CALVES USED. 



The calves used were grade Shorthorn, Hereford, and Aberdeen 

 Angus. They were raised in southern West Virginia and were a 

 good, uniform lot in age, weight, quality, and condition. They 

 ranged in weight from 300 to 500 pounds, averaging 385 pounds at 

 the beginning of the winter period, and were 1 year old the following 

 spring. 



FEEDS USED. 



Samples of each of the feeds used were taken at different times 

 during the winter periods and sent to the department of chemistry, 

 West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, Morgantown. 



