WINTER RATIONS OF YEARLING STEERS. 
19 
worth $3.73 and $4.44, respectively. If the three rations had cost 
the same per steer per year, these figures would represent the added 
profit. With feeds at prices as charged during the first three years, 
however, the dry-feed ration was the most costly. It cost 88 cents 
less to feed a steer on corn silage, mixed, hay, and wheat straw than 
on mixed hay and straw alone. The addition of cottonseed meal and 
the elimination of the hay decreased the cost $1.35. By adding these 
figures to the value of the increased gains, the total added profit per 
steer can be obtained. In the case of the steers fed corn silage, 
mixed hay, and wheat straw, this amounted to $4.61, and for the 
steers fed on corn silage, cottonseed meal, and straw the corresponding 
figure was $5.79. 
Since the average initial weights of the lots were practically the 
same for each trial, and since all lots were summered on the same 
pasture, the difference in final weight can be attributed to the different 
rations fed during the winter. 
GENERAL SUMMARY OF COSTS AND GAINS. 
A general summary of costs and gains is given in Table 12. 
Table 12. — General summary of costs and gains. 
Lots 2, 
Lots 1, 
(corn 
Lots 4, 
(corn 
silage 
and soy- 
bean 
hay). 
Lots 5, 
(corn 
silage, 
Lots 3, 
(corn 
silage, 
wheat 
(mixed 
silage, 
Items. 
mixed 
straw, 
hav and 
rve hay, 
hav, and 
and 
wheat 
and cot- 
wheat 
cotton- 
straw). 
tonseed 
straw). 
seed 
meal). 
meal). 
S14.49 
128 
§14. 32 
' 129i 
515. 67 
129i 
814. 76 
133 
S16. 82 
Average length of winter periods 
Cost of feed per day, winter. 
days.. 
133 
SO. 116 
so. in 
SO. 121 
so. in 
SO. 127 
S8.20 
164 
S7.90 
158 
$7. 90 
158 
87.00 
140 
S7.00 
Average length of summer periods 
days.. 
140 
SO. 05 
822. 69 
SO. 05 
S22. 22 
SO. 05 
S23.57 
SO. 05 
S21.76 
SO. 05 
Average of total costs per year 
823.82 
Average gain or loss per steer, winter. . . 
pounds.. 
-1 
+62 
-35 
+27 
+ 11 
Average gam per steer, summer. 
do... 
317 
262 
309 
240 
281 
Average total gain per steer 
do... 
316 
324 
274 
267 
292 
SO. 072 
SO. 069 
SO. 086 
SO. 081 
SO. 081 
CONCLUSIONS. 
1. Corn silage, wheat straw, and cottonseed meal (fed to Lots 2) 
was the cheapest ration used and at the same time the best, making 
the greatest increase (62 pounds) in weight of the steers. It is 
seldom that one gets the best for the least money. 
2. Silage added to a ration for wintering steers makes it more 
economical than dry roughage alone, considering the gains made 
both during the winter and in the summer following the winter 
feeding period. 
