WINTER RATIONS OF YEARLING STEERS. 
17 
Steers fed mixed hay and wheat straw, which is by far the most 
commonly used ration in the section under discussion, made smaller 
yearly gains at greater cost than did the steers of the two lots afore- 
mentioned. It cost 8.6 cents to put on a pound of gain when the 
wintering ration consisted of mixed hay and wheat straw. 
The cost of producing a pound of gain was comparatively high in 
Lots 4 and 5, being 8.1 cents a pound for each lot. The rations used, 
while an improvement over the commonly used combinations of 
mixed hay and wheat straw, were too costly, when resulting gains 
are considered, to be recommended except when mixed hay is not 
available. 
VALUE OF GAINS. 
In Table 10 the increase in value per steer is shown. The initial 
cost plus the cost of feed and pasture is the total cost of the steer at 
the close of the pasture season. The appraised valuation of the steers 
at this time was $2 per hundredweight more than the initial cost per 
hundredweight the preceding fall. While this is an arbitrary valua- 
tion, nevertheless it represents a very conservative figure, the actual 
increase in most instances being much more. 
The cost of labor and other cost factors are not considered; such 
items would be more than offset by the value of the manure from the 
cattle. 
Table 10. — Summary of costs showing increased value of steers at end of winter feeding 
period. 
Lots 
No. 
Year. 
Initial 
value per 
steer. 
Cost to 
feed each 
steer one 
year. 
Value of 
steer, in- 
cluding 
cost of 
feed and 
pasture. 
praised 
value of 
steer at 
end of 
year. 
Increase 
over 
initial 
value plus 
cost of 
feed and 
pasture. 
1 
1914-15 
S40. 43 
44.07 
48.30 
$22. 11 
22.09 
23.88 
362. 54 
66.16 
72.18 
$79.48 
86.87 
88.11 
$16.94 
1915-16 
20.71 
1916-17 
15.93 
44.27 
22.69 
66.96 
84.82 
17.86 
1914-15 
2 
40.17 
44.07 
48.30 
50.33 
22.87. 
22.69 
22.45 
20.88 
63.04 
66.76 
70.75 
71.21 
80.50 
88.06 
90.00 
92.06 
17.46 
1915-16 
21.30 
1916-17 
19.25 
1917 18 
20.85 
Average 
45.72 
22.22 
67.94 
87.66 
19.72 
3 
1914-15 
40.50 
44.07 
48.30 
50.33 
22.02 
23.38 
24.59 
24.30 
62.52 
67.45 
72.89 
74.63 
75.82 
83.39 
86.85 
89.11 
13.30 
1915-16 
15.94 
1916-17 
13.96 
1917 18 .-- 
14.48 
45.80 
23.57 
69.37 
83.79 
14.42 
1917-18 
4 
50. 33 
21. 76 
72.09 
91.49 
87.40 
19.40 
5 
| 1917 18 
50.33 
23.82 
74.15 
13.25 
The estimated value per hundredweight at the end of the pasture 
season of all lots was the same, regardless of the extra finish due to 
