FEEDING BEEF CATTLE 



253 



fed cattle, are usually heavier of weight at the beginning of 

 feeding than are those fed for a longer period. In 1908 the 

 Purdue station started a load of short-feds on feed on August 

 1st. At the end of the first 10 days these steers were eating 

 11 pounds shelled corn and 2 pounds cottonseed meal each 

 daily. By September 1st they were eating per head 133^ 

 pounds of shelled corn, 33^ pounds cottonseed meal and 25 

 pounds of silage. The heaviest grain feed given was on the 

 third month, when 20 pounds of corn and 4 pounds of cotton- 

 seed meal were fed each steer, and the silage was reduced 

 to 20 poimds. On November 27 these cattle were shipped 

 to Chicago, where at the International Live Stock Exposi- 

 tion they won the short-fed carload championship. 



Figure 101. — Feeding roughage on the range. 



The feeding of steers roughage in the early stages of 

 fattening, may vary according to the purpose. Steers to be 

 fed a long period may start in with roughage alone, and then 

 gradually be brought to grain feed. At the Pennsylvania 

 station, for example, one lot of steers was fed corn silage for 

 roughage, and 23^ pounds cottonseed meal each, for the 

 first 56 days of the experiment, after which a feed of ear 

 corn was given daily in addition to silage and cottonseed 



