18 



BULLETIN 954, V. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



As would be expected from the results given in Tables 6 and 7, the 

 barn-wintered steers made practically the same profit per head while 

 the winter-grazed steers made approximately one-third more profit 

 per head than any of the barn-wintered steers. 



SUMMARY OF GAINS AND COSTS. 



In Table 9 a general summary of costs and gains, winter and sum- 

 mer, is given. The figures represent the averages of the three years 

 for each lot. 



Table 9. — General summary of costs and gains, ivinter and summer. 



Item. 



Lotl; 

 mixed 

 hay. 



Lot 2; 

 corn 

 silage. 



Lots; 



corn 

 silage, 

 stover, 



and 

 straw. 



Lot 4; 

 winter 

 pasture. 



Lots 

 (only 1 



year); 

 stover, 

 hay, and 



straw. 



Winter period (126 days): 



Loss in weight per steer pounds. 



Cost to winter per steer 



Cost per day per steer 



Summer period (140 days): 



Totalgain per steer pounds . 



Cost per day per steer i 



Cost per pound of gain 



Winter and summer (266 days): 



Total gain per steer pounds. 



Total cost per steer 



Cost per pound of gain 



Full year (365 days): 



Total cost per head ^ 



Cost per day 



50 

 $15.27 



$0. 121 



337 

 $0,053 

 $0,022 



287 

 $22.77 

 $0. 079 



$28. 07 

 $0. 077 



40 

 $15,25 

 SO. 121 



336 

 $0. 053 

 $0,022 



296 

 $22.75 

 $0. 077 



$28. 05 

 SO. 077 



79 

 $12. 27 

 $0,097 



340 

 $0.0.53 

 $0,022 



262 

 $19. 77 

 $0. 076 



$25. 07 

 $0,069 



29 



$8.38 

 $0. 066 



333 

 SO. 053 

 SO. 022 



304 

 $15. 88 

 $0. 052 



$21. 18 

 SO. 058 



64 



347 

 SO. 053 

 SO. 022 



283 

 $17. 58 

 SO. 062 



$22.88 

 $0,063 



1 The total cost per summer period of 140 days is $7.50 for each lot. 



2 In this experimental work the cattle were carried only 266 days each year (from about Dee. 15 to Sept. 6). 

 In flndtng the cost per day for 365 days, the wmter cost per day for 126 days is used with $0.53 per day for 

 the balance of the year (239 days). From September to December, such cattle are usually on pasture which, 

 maintains their weight. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



1. The average costs and gains for the steers wintered on mixed 

 hay are practically the same as for those wintered on corn silage. 



2. Corn silage, stover, and straw proved to be a considerably cheaper 

 ration than either mixed hay or com silage alone. 



3. Winter pasture was the most satisfactory ration of all, both in 

 cheapness and total gain in weight throughout the year. 



4. The average winter cost for four months for all the rations was 

 one-half of the total cost for 12 months. 



5. The average increase in cost per hundredweight of all the steers 

 in the spring was 30 per cent greater than their cost in the fall, while 

 the average loss in weight Was 6.5 per cent. 



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