64 BEEF PRODUCTION 



AMOUNT TO FEED 



Where oil meal or cottonseed meal is to be fed there 

 are several questions arising which should be briefly 

 considered. How much of these commercial concen- 

 trates should be fed per animal per day, and how rapidly 

 should steers be worked up to the amount to be fed? 

 Experience has demonstrated that if one wishes to get 

 the largest net profit from feeding these feeds a minimum 

 rather than a maximum amount should be used, that is, 

 the feeding of two to three pounds per steer per day is 

 likely to be followed with larger net profits than the 

 feeding of five or more pounds per steer per day with 

 feeds at normal prices. The amount that can be fed to 

 advantage will, of course, vary with the composition 

 of the remainder of the ration. For example, if alfalfa 

 and clover hay are used as roughage and the feeding of 

 these concentrates is largely a matter of increasing the 

 value of the manure, then the maximum amount fed 

 should not exceed three pounds per day per 1000 pounds 

 live weight of cattle, and it is even possible that the 

 most profitable returns are secured by feeding even 

 smaller amounts. Where timothy hay, corn stover, or 

 straw is used for roughage and corn for the concentrated 

 part of the ration, this three pounds becomes the mini- 

 mum amount of oil meal, cottonseed meal, or gluten 

 meal to be fed daily per 1000 pounds live weight of 

 cattle. When corn is high in price and these feeds 

 reasonable, as much as four pounds may be fed to ad- 

 vantage. These amounts are suggested for two-year-old 

 or older cattle. For calves or yearlings one pound per 

 1000 pounds live weight of cattle more than that stated 

 for older cattle will be found a good rule to follow. 

 Cattle should be started on these feeds at the rate of one- 

 fourth pound per day per animal, increasing them at 

 the rate of one-eighth pound per day until the cattle 

 receive the required amount. 



