292 



FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABRIDGED 



wider margin is required for winter feeding than in fattening ani- 

 mals on pasture. The higher the degree of finish, or fatness, the 

 more expensive the gains become and the wider the necessary margin. 

 Feed requirements for fattening cattle. — In Chapter V we have 

 already seen that with mature animals there is comparatively little 

 storage of protein or mineral matter during fattening and that the 

 ration may have a relatively wide nutritive ratio. However, most of 

 the beef cattle in this country are now fattened before they are full- 

 grown. For the fattening of such animals sufficient protein must be 

 provided for the growth in muscle and other protein tissues which 

 takes place as the animals fatten. From an extensive survey of feed- 

 ing trials at the experiment stations, the authors believe that for the 



Fig. 81. — Championship Yearling Fat Steers at the 

 International 



Yearlings usually make less expensive gains than older steers, but require a 

 somewhat longer feeding period to reach the same finish. 



most rapid gains in fattening 2-year-old steers the nutritive ratio 

 should not be wider than 1:7 to 1:7.8. (See Appendix Table V.) 

 When protein-rich feeds are lower in price than carbonaceous feeds, 

 it may be economical to feed much narrower rations than this. For 

 example, good results are secured when cottonseed meal is fed as the 

 only concentrate, the nutritive ratio then being as narrow as 1 : 3.8. 

 As' is shown later in this chapter, the amount of concentrates to be 

 fed will depend on the rapidity with which it is desired to fatten the 

 cattle, and the degree of finish or fatness which the demands of the 

 market make most profitable. 



Influence of age on cost of fattening. — In Chapter V we have al- 

 ready seen that young, growing animals make much larger gains 



