FATTENING STEEKS ON PASTURE IN THE SOUTH. 
13 
tures are much the same as those found in the Alabama pastures pre- 
viously described. Lespedeza, Bermuda grass, and crab grass are 
the most important ones. 
Owing to a dry period early in the spring of 1915 the pastures 
were not ready for use until late in May, and in midsummer a drought 
of two months' duration almost ruined the pastures for the season. 
Bains during the latter part of August also injured them somewhat. 
Owing to these unsatisfactory conditions good gains on the cattle 
could hardly be expected. The pasture was charged at the rate of 50 
cents a head for each period of 28 days, as in the Alabama tests. 
METHOD OF FEEDING AND HANDLING THE CATTLE. 
The cottonseed cake was fed each evening about sundown in 
troughs placed in the pasture. Pools in the open pastures furnished 
the only source of water supply for the steers, and became very low 
and foul during the extended dry period. Salt was provided each 
week. 
Individual weights of all the steers were taken at the beginning 
and at the end of the experiment, and each lot was weighed every 28 
days. As the cattle were free from ticks, no dipping was done. 
RESULTS OF THE EXPERIMENT. 
Table 6 gives in brief the general features and results of the ex- 
periment. 
Table 6. — Results of summer steer feeding in Mississippi, 1915. 
Item. 
Lotl. 
Pasture 
alone. 
Lot 2. 
Pasture 
and cotton- 
seed cake. 
Number of steers 
Days of feeding period 
Average daily ration per head: 
Cottonseed cake pounds. 
Cost of feed and pasture per 100 pounds gain 
Cost per head to feed through summer 
Initial cost of steers per 100 pounds 
Selling price of steers per 100 pounds 
Average profit per steer 
Per cent dressed 
Average initial weight per head pounds. 
Average final weight per head do. . . 
Average total gain per head do. . . 
Average daily gain per head do.. . 
$1.06 
SI. 91 
$5.00 
$5.75 
$7.19 
0) 
678 
858 
180 
1.68 
20 
107 
3.65 
$3.44 
$7.37 
$5.00 
$6.35 
$9.61 
50.8 
678 
892 
214 
2.00 
1 Lot 1 sold as stockers. 
DAILY RATIONS. 
The average daily ration of cottonseed cake for the steers of lot 2 
was 3.65 pounds each. They were given 2 pounds a head daily at 
the beginning, which was gradually increased during the first month 
