Factors in Steer Feeding. 



369 



all the animal can or will then eat constitutes the food of sup- 

 port, or is wasted. (595-6) 



564. Cost of gain increases with age. — We have seen that the 

 daily gain possible with steers decreases as the age of the animal 

 increases. The results obtained at our Stations and the records 

 of the fat-stock shows teach that each pound of gain costs more 

 with increasing age, as illustrated in the following table: 



Cost of 100 pounds gain, live weight, icith steers of different ages. 



» Kept. lU. Bd. Agr., 1884. » Bui. 44. » Rept. 1886. " Rept. 1891. 



The table shows that in every instance the cost of gain with the 

 steer during the first twelve months of growth is less than for 

 later periods. At the Fat-Stock Show for 1882 the feed for 100 

 pounds of gain with steers up to twelve months cost $4.03; between 

 twelve and twenty-four months it was $7.98, whUe between twenty- 

 four and thirty-six months the cost reached $12. 54. 



565. Cost of gain increases with length of fattening period. — 

 Other conditions being equal, the longer the fattening period the 

 larger the quantity of feed required to produce a given gain. 

 This is brought out by Georgeson, of the Kansas Station, * who 

 found the grain required for 100 pounds of gain with fattening 

 steers for different periods to be as follows: 



Up to 56 days the steers required... 

 Up to 84 days the steers required... 

 Up to 112 days the steers required... 

 Up to 140 days the steers required... 

 Up to 168 days the steers required... 

 Up to 182 days the steers required... 



Feed for 

 100 lbs. gain. 

 730 pounds of grain. 

 807 pounds of grain. 

 840 pounds of grain. 

 901 pounds of grain. 

 927 pounds of grain. 

 1000 pounds of grain. 



Increase of 

 feed required. 



10 per cent. 

 15 per cent. 

 23 per cent. 

 27 per cent. 

 37 per cent 



Bui. 34. 



24 



