FEEDING BEEF CATTLE 



263 



various expenses incurred in cattle feeding on twenty-four Iowa 

 farms, as determined by the U. S. Department of Agriculture dur- 

 ing 1909-1911, is shown in the following table. The figures given 

 indicate in a general way the importance of the various expenses in 

 feeding cattle, at least in the corn belt. 11 



Percentage of Various Expenses Incurred in Cattle Feeding on #4 Iowa Farms 



* Delivered at farm (including freight and incidental charges), t Excess in shrinkage. 



It will be seen that the purchase price was more than one-half 

 (57.8 per cent) of the total cost of the feeding, and that the feed 

 cost came next, with about one-third (34.3 per cent) of the total 

 expenses. These two items make up over 90 per cent of the expense 

 of cattle feeding as practised on these farms, and the financial results 

 of the feeding operations will, therefore, be determined largely by 

 them and by the selling price of the steers. Waters 12 found that an 

 average margin of $1.02 was required to cover the entire cost of 

 fattening cattle in summer, in ease of feeders in the Mississippi 

 valley, and that a margin of $1.50 per hundredweight is necessary 

 for six months' winter feeding for two-year-olds. Data obtained 

 by the Purdue (Indiana) station in the same way showed that an 

 average spread of $1.07 was required to break even under Indiana 

 conditions, and that it cost cattle men in that State $4.80 per 

 hundredweight gains in summer and $7.20 in winter. 



Length of Feeding Period. — This will vary from sixty days 

 to a year, according to a number of conditions, as kinds of stock, 

 cost of feed, and market conditions. The various factors affecting 

 the length of the fattening period are succinctly stated as follows 

 by Mumford. 13 " The principal factors affecting the length of the 

 feeding period are : Method of feeding, grade, condition, and age 

 of feeding cattle used. 



" Method of Feeding. — Where it is desired to feed a ration in 

 which there is a large proportion of roughage to grain, the fatten- 

 ing process is slow. On the other hand, the feeding of large pro- 

 portions of grain to roughage, or, in other words, the feeding of 



"Farmers' Bulletin 588. 



"Missouri Bulletin 76; see also Purdue (Ind.) Circular 12. 



13 "Beef Production," p. 100. 



