10 BULLETIN 628, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
the winter of 32 pounds per steer or a daily loss of 0.24 pound. These 
cattle in Lot 1 lost more than any of the cattle in the barn during 
this winter's work. The silage cattle in Lot 2 lost 28 pounds per 
steers, equal to a daily loss of 0.21 pound. 
The silage cattle in Lot 3 lost practically the same per steer for tne 
winter as those in Lot 1. The cattle in Lot 3 made a total loss per 
steer of 32 pounds for the winter. There was very little difference 
in the losses on these three lots of cattle in the barns. The steers 
in Lot 4 gained 17 pounds per head instead of losing weight as did 
those wintered in the barns. 
During 1915-16 the cattle in Lot 1 were fed the same as those of 
Lot 1 for the two previous winters. These steers lost a total of 35 
pounds per animal for the winter, representing a daily loss of 0.29 
pound. 
The silage cattle in Lot 2 lost 42 pounds per steer, while those in 
Lot 3 on the same kind of feed, lost 40 pounds per steer. The dry- 
fed cattle in Lot 1 this year made the smallest loss of any of the 
cattle in the barns. The silage cattle in Lot 2 made the largest loss. 
The winter-grazed cattle in Lot 4 made a gain during the winter of 
26 pounds per head. These cattle were in good condition in* the 
spring, after going through the winter on pasture. 
Although the cattle in Lots 1, 2, and 3 lost some weight each year, 
they came through the winter in good, strong, thrifty condition, or 
in such condition that when put on pasture they would improve from 
the start and make good gains in weight during the grazing season. 
COST OF WINTERING. 
Stockmen are interested in the cost of wintering the cattle and 
their cost per hundredweight in the spring resulting from the winter 
feeding. This is ascertained by taking the initial cost in the fall, 
adding the cost of wintering, and dividing this sum by the weight 
in the spring. This cost in spring per hundred pounds is important 
to stockmen who want to graze cattle during the summer and do not 
know whether it would be cheaper to buy cattle in the fall and 
winter them or whether it would be cheaper to buy them in the 
spring. 
Table 4 shows the number of steers, rations, number of days win- 
tered, fall prices per hundredweight, cost to feed each steer through 
the winter, and spring cost per hundredweight for each of the three 
3-ears. 
