a FEEDING BEEF CATTLE 275 
cattle feeding can be produced cheaply and abundantly there, and 
the favorable winter climate reduces the cost of investment in 
buildings and equipment for cattle feeding. Excellent forage crops, 
like alfalfa, cowpeas, velvet. beans, sorghum, soybeans, etc., “together 
with cotton-seed meal, are the main feeds which will enable southern 
farmers to raise and fatten beef cattle cheaply and which will lead to 
a gradual development of the cattle industry in the South. The 
danger of Texas fever is one of the disadvantages. Large areas 
are, however, gradually being freed from the tick that causes this 
disease, and the time is probably not far distant when the whole 
South will be free of the Texas fever tick.2? 
Rations for Steers.—The following sample rations will show 
the kinds and amounts of feeding stuffs that may be fed to fatten- 
ing steers per 1000 pounds live weight: 
- 10 pounds clover hay, 20 pounds corn, 3 pounds cotton-seed meal. 
. 5 pounds clover hay, 5 pounds corn stover, 20 pounds corn. 
- 10 pounds alfalfa hay, 15 pounds corn, 2 pounds linseed meal. 
10 pounds alfalfa hay, 18 pounds corn. 
. 25 pounds corn silage, 10 pounds mixed hay, 10 pounds shelled corn, 
2 pounds cotton-seed meal. 
G. 20 pounds mixed hay, 10 pounds snapped corn. 
7. 25 pounds cotton-seed hulls, 614% pounds cotton-seed meal. 
8. 20 pounds corn silage, 10 pounds clover hay, 10 pounds barley. 
9. 15 pounds kafir corn, 12 pounds cotton-seed hulls, 3 pounds cotton- 
seed meal. 
10. 8 pounds alfalfa hay, 12 pounds corn meal, 6 pounds vats. 
11. 25 pounds alfalfa hay, 6 pounds barley. 
12. 30 pounds corn silage, 10 pounds mixed hay, 10 pounds corn. 
oP wre 
QUESTIONS 
1, What are the two systems of feeding beef cattle in this country? State 
the advantages and disadvantages of each one. 
2. What is the average composition of the increase in fattening steers? 
3. Why are the Wolff-Lehmann standards for fattening steers not reliable 
uides ? 
4. What j is the law in regard to the relation of age and weight of fattening 
steers to the (a) daily gains, (b) per cent dressed weight? 
5. What does the term spread or margin mean, as used by cattle men? 
6. Give the main factors on which the spread depends. 
7. Give the factors that determine the length of feeding period. 
8. How much grain and roughage does it take, on the average, to produce 
100 pounds gain in fattening steers? 
9. Why is pasture feeding for steers cheaper than feeding during the winter 
months? 
10. Discuss briefly the value of silage for steer feeding. 
11. What is baby beef? 
12, Give the conditions under which it may be successfully produced. 
13. Describe briefly the methods followed in the feeding of (a) yearling 
steers, (b) two-year-olds, (c) range steers. 
2 Farmers’ Bulletin 588. 
