42 
BULLETIN 
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
pounds of cottonseed hulls, and 211 pounds of hay and stover, valued 
at $13.92. Thus it is seen that considerably more concentrates were 
required to produce 100 pounds of gain in Lot 2, while the amount of 
roughage, including the cobs in the ear corn fed to Lot 2, was nearly 
the same for both lots. Apparently this would indicate clearly that 
corn was not efficient in producing gains; but it should be remem- 
bered that the corn was of poor quality. 
Although the steers in Lot 2 gained more, the gains cost 60 cents 
per hundredweight more than in Lot 1. 
The amount and cost of feed required to make 100 pounds of gain 
are factors of great interest to the feeder. As the prices of feeds 
fluctuate from year to year, the farmer, knowing the quantity and 
cost of feed needed to produce 100 pounds of gain, can calculate 
safely what gains he may expect from certain rations, and determine 
the approximate cost of putting the gains on his cattle under the 
different conditions. 
Table 20 shows the average final farm and market weights per 
head, the shrinkage in transit to market, the carcass weights, and 
dressing percentages of the steers. 
Table 20. — Slaughter data, winter fattening of 1913- 
-Ik- 
Lot 
No. 
Ration. 
Average i Average 
farm 1 market 
weight 1 weight 
per steer,' per steer, 
Mar. 10. Mar. 16. 
Average 
shrinkage 
per steer 
in transit. 
Average p «™#- 
Percent- 
age 
dressed 
by farm 
weights. 
Percent- 
age 
dressed 
by 
market 
weights. 
1 
Cottonseed meal, cotton- 
seed hulls, corn stover. 
Pounds. 
973 
983 
Pounds. 
892 
898 
Pounds. 
81 
85 
Pounds. Percent. 
485 8.35 
513 8.66 
Per cent. Per cent. 
49.9 ! 54.4 
2 
Cottonseed meal, ear corn, 
cottonseed bulls, corn 
52.2 57.2 
In transit the steers in Lot 1 sustained a shrinkage of 81 pounds 
per head, while those of Lot 2 lost 85 founds per head, so there was 
little difference in the shrinkage of the two lots. This excessive 
shrinkage is accounted for by the fact that the cattle left the farm at 
Springdale on March 10, 1911. were driven 10 miles over bad roads to 
a loading point, loaded the following morning, and shipped to Balti- 
more, where they arrived after a three days' trip. In addition to 
these disadvantages when the steers arrived at the market the weather 
was very cold and. disagreeable, which prevented their taking a 
normal fill of water. 
It will be noted that the carcasses of the steers of Lot 2 weighed 
heavier than those of Lot 1, and also dressed out better. Those in 
Lot 1 dressed out 54.4 per cent and those of Lot 2, 57.2 per cent by 
market weights. This difference in the killing conditions of the 
steers was detected very easily in the carcasses, as those of Lot 2 
