DRY-FARMING CONGRESS, WICHITA, 1914 



63 



and corn with a little prairie hay. With 900 pound cattle at the central 

 station practically the same results were secured — in one experiment alfalfa 

 and corn being superior to all other rations. 



In regions farther south where cottonseed is cheap and alfalfa hay is 

 not available, cottonseed-meal may be substituted to balance the ration, 

 though our experiments would show that for Nebraska alfalfa is much 

 more desirable. 



In Texas where kafir and milo were fed to steers in comparison with 

 corn, both kafir and milo produced larger gains than a ration of corn and 

 molasses, when cottonseed-meal was fed to all lots. This experiment will 

 serve to show the high value of kafir and milo and their adaptability to 

 finishing cattle where they are a market crop. 



Experiments reported in 1914 Bulletin 198 of the Kansas Experi- 

 mental Station show the cost of wintering beef cows on kafir stover, wheat 

 straw, and one pound daily of cottonseed-meal to be $5.61 for a 100-day 

 period. Against this was fed kafir silage, straw, and one pound of cotton- 

 seed cake, costing $6.30 for the 100-day period. Where kafir stover was 

 fed, the cows gained only 35 pounds each in the 100 days. Where the kafir 

 silage was fed, they gained 134 pounds each in the same period. By feed- 

 ing silage instead of dry forage an additional gain of 100 pounds per cow 

 was secured at a cost of 69 cents. 



Reduced to an acre basis, it requires to feed a beef cow 100 days: 



Lot 3 — Kafir fodder 34 acre. 



Wheat straw 52 acre. 



For 100 days « 85 acres. 



Lot 4 — Kafir silage 22 acres. 



Wheat straw 71 acre. 



For 100 days 93 acres. 



In the same experiment in wintering beef steers, the cost of grains 

 upon various rations was as follows: 



Corn, silage, and cottonseed-meal $3.60 per 100 pounds. 



Kafir, silage, and cottonseed meal 3.37 per 100 pounds. 



Sweet sorghum and cottonseed-meal 3.46 per 100 pounds. 



Corn silage and alfalfa hay 3.83 per 100 pounds. 



Corn stover, shelled corn, and alfalfa hay 3.66 per 100 pounds. 



The gains varied from 1.5 pounds to 1.62 pounds daily, or not less 

 than 45 pounds monthly, and were made at a cost not much above the cost 

 of gains on grass. Where the wintering of cattle can be reduced to such 

 figures, the opportunity of making a reasonable profit in raising beef cattle 

 is assured. 



With the present relative prices of stock cattle and fat cattle only the 

 exceptional dry-land farmer will find it profitable to fatten cattle upon 

 grain in the feedlot, since the majority are so much better fitted to keep 

 a breeding herd and grow cattle for the feed lot of the corn belt farmer. 



