26 BULLETIN 1333, U. S. DEPAKTMENT OF AGKICTJLTTJRE 
CONCLUSIONS BASED ON EXPERIMENTAL WORK 
Velvet beans and corn silage produce satisfactory gains for fatten- 
ing steers. The ration is an economical one in regions in which the 
beans are grown. 
Dry whole velvet beans are more economical for fattening steers 
than soaked whole velvet beans when the labor cost of soaking is 
taken into consideration. 
The dry velvet beans in the pod make a palatable ration without 
soaking or grinding. 
It is not economical to grind velvet beans for fattening steers. 
From 5 to 10 per cent less dry ground velvet beans than dry whole 
velvet beans are required to produce 100 pounds of gain, but the 
saving is not equal to the cost of grinding. 
Both whole dry and soaked velvet beans are much more palatable 
than dry ground velvet beans. Ground velvet beans are so* un- 
palatable that steers will not eat enough of them to make good gains. 
Ground velvet beans heat quickly, become rancid, and mold 
readily. 
Cottonseed meal increases the palatability of a ration of velvet 
beans. 
Two pounds of velvet beans are practically equal to 1 pound of 
cottonseed meal for producing gain in fattening steers, and there is 
considerable saving in the amount of roughage required. However, 
cottonseed meal is a more palatable feed and produces more rapid 
gains. 
For fattening steers velvet beans may be economically substituted 
for cottonseed meal when the price delivered at the farm does not 
exceed one-half the price of good-quality cottonseed meal. 
Hogs do not make satisfactory gains from the droppings alone 
when following steers fed velvet beans in any form. 
