12 
BULLETIN 870. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
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summers. The average length of the total period for the 4 years 
was 288 days, of which 130 days were in the winter or feeding period 
and the remaining 158 in the summer or grass period. The heavy 
black vertical line near the center of the chart marks the dividing 
line between the 
wmter and summer 
periods. 
Vertical distance 
on the chart repre- 
sents changes in live 
weight of the steers. 
The weights corre- 
sponding to each of 
the horizontal lines 
are given along the 
left side of the chart. 
Some rather strik- 
ing facts as to the 
way steers on differ- 
ent rations vary in 
weight from period 
to period during the 
winter are brought 
out. It will be noted 
VI. 72 'O — f " ^- f—f 1 
& y^ / ; that in Lots 1 and 3 
there was an actual 
loss in weight each 
year during the first 
period of the winter. 
By the end of the 
second period this 
tendency to lose in 
weight had been 
overcome, and in 
most of the trials a slight gain was made during this period. While 
the average of Lot 2 snowed a small gain during the first period, it 
is evident that the rapidity of gain was greatly increased during 
the second period. 
With one or two exceptions there was a marked loss in weight of 
steers in all lots during the last 18 days of the winter period. This 
falling off in weight can, no doubt, be attributed to the fact that the 
coming of the pasture season caused the steers to eat less dry feed and 
possibly to make less efficient use of what they did eat. Cattle fed on 
dry feed during the winter become restless with the appearance of 
grass and lose their appetites for the dry and less appetizing feeds 
which they have been receiving. 
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1 
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Fig. 8.— Diagram showing average variations in weights of 3 lots of 
steers during summer and winter feeding periods. 
