18 BULLETIN 1333, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
THE 1920 EXPERIMENT 
The object of this experiment was to compare the following feeds 
when fed with corn silage to fatten steers : 
Lot 1. Cottonseed meal. 
Lot 2. Dry velvet beans. 
Lot 3. Soaked velvet beans. 
STEERS USED 
Thirty high-grade 3-year-old feeder steers showing a preponder- 
ance of Hereford, Angus, and Shorthorn blood were purchased in 
northern Mississippi. They were selected for uniformity from a 
herd of 200. Previous to purchase they had been run on stalk 
fields. After a fill of hay and water at McNeill the average weight 
on January 8 was 780 pounds. 
METHOD OF FEEDING AND HANDLING THE STEERS 
The silage for all lots was made from fully matured corn of the 
same variety and planted in the same manner as for grain. Con- 
siderable water was added as the corn went into the silo. The 
silage was bright and of good quality as a whole, but some spoilage 
occurred around the walls of the silo. The beans fed lot 3 in this 
experiment were soaked 12 hours before feeding. 
Beginning January 8 and continuing two weeks all lots were fed 
a limited ration of cottonseed meal and corn silage as a preliminary 
feed. The cost of this feed was included in the initial cost of the 
steers and no other account is taken. 
OBSERVATIONS DURING EXPERIMENT 
During the first period all the lots were slightly off feed and 
scoured badly. This was taken into account immediately and the 
quantities of silage fed were reduced until the steers were normal 
again. One steer in the cottonseed-meal lot was so badly injured 
in a fight that he had to be fed separately for several days. As one 
steer in the soaked velvet-bean lot was scouring very badly, he was 
given a 2-pound dose of Epsom salt, following which he recovered 
rapidly. In spite of being off feed the steers of all lots made very 
high gains during the period. 
During the second period one steer in the dry velvet-bean lot was 
very lame for several days on account of a nail in one of his feet. 
In the soaked velvet-bean lot two steers lost weight whereas two 
made no gains. The others made good gains. Several steers, on 
account of spoiled silage, were scouring a little at the end of the 
period. It was necessary to use the spoiled silage on account of 
the limited quantity of silage available for finishing the steers. 
FEED CONSUMED 
The quantities of feed consumed increased throughout the experi- 
ment excepting the silage fed to the velvet-bean lots which was 
smaller in the second and third periods than in the first. The 
velvet-bean lots were fed practically the same quantities of silage 
and velvet beans. 
GAINS IN WEIGHT 
The steers made an unusually large gain during the first period. 
This is more remarkable because they had two weeks in which to 
