THE PAVED LOT 145 



about three feet apart, and the bunk set upon them. 

 The bunk is secured to the floors by boring a hole through 

 the two-by-four on the bottom of the posts and on 

 through the floor, and dropping in an old bolt, which 

 prevents the bunk and floors from being pushed out of 

 place. Three bunks of the dimensions given will be 

 enough to accommodate fifty cattle. The bunks 

 should be arranged in a row. This is a great convenience 

 in feeding, and cattle so fed are not running from one 

 bunk to another, dropping feed as they go. These 

 floors keep the feeder and the cattle out of the mud, and 

 all droppings or waste feed fall upon them and the hogs 

 have a chance to get it before it is lost in the mud. 



THE PAVED LOT; HOW TO MAKE AND USE IT 



The question of feed lot conditions has not received 

 the consideration at the hands of cattle feeders that its 

 importance merits. Perhaps the most neglected fac- 

 tor is the surface of the yards or lots in which cattle are 

 fed during the winter months. The importance of this 

 subject is emphasized by the statement of a prominent 

 cattle buyer at a leading market, who said, "You 

 can tell the farmers and feeders of this country that in 

 feeding cattle there is nothing more certain than that 

 dirty hides from allowing cattle to wallow in mud or 

 manure is sure to make a big loss, no matter how well 

 bred or well fed the cattle may be. I visited the farm 

 of a man who has fed market toppers and international 

 prize winners, who allowed his cattle to stand in manure 

 knee deep. Nevertheless, cattle with manure-covered 

 hides will have to sell 10 to 15 cents and sometimes 25 

 cents per hundredweight less than those with clean 

 hides." The same authority stated that with yards in 

 which the steers could be kept clean, gains could be put 

 on with much less feed than where the cattle were com- 

 pelled to wade about in the mud. The Illinois Experi- 

 ment Station has conducted some experiments which 

 furnish some data on these two important points. First, 



