20 
S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
1922, ear and shelled corn and alfalfa were the principal feeds used with 
very small quantities of other feeds. On the average, over the three 
years each one of the steers was fed 275 pounds of corn, 25 pounds of 
cottonseed cake, and 65 pounds of alfalfa hay. 
The cost of producing 100 pounds gain (Table 7) on the steers that 
were fed on grass was greater than for the straight-grass steers, 
excepting the fat aged steers. (Table 3.) The increase in cost was 
due to the feed and the greater labor and interest charges. This 
increase in costs was partly, although not entirely, offset by the 
greater gains obtained. 
In 1921 the aged steers lost $9.99 per head, in 1922 the'y made a 
gain of $6.69 per head and in 1923 they lost $0.87. The 2-year-old 
steers were fed in 1922 only, and made a profit of $10.21 per head. 
The margin was narrower on these cattle than on the straight-grass 
cattle, varying from $0.58 in 1921 to $0.25 in 1922, on the aged steers. 
The 2-year-old steers had a plus margin of $1.09. 
One of the reasons for feeding cattle while on grass is to obtain 
a higher price on the market than would be paid for the straight- 
grass steers. The actual increase in price realized was very slight 
in the group of steers weighing 800 to 900 pounds when going on grass, 
and but little more in the group of steers weighing above 900 pounds. 
The average sale price per hundred pounds was as follows: 800 to 
900 pound steers fed on grass sold for $7.36 as against $7.31 for the 
straight-grass steers. The fed-on-grass steers with initial weight of 
900 pounds or more sold for $7.62 as against $7.45 for the straight 
grass steer, or 17 cents per hundred pounds difference. 
Table 7. — Gain, pasture, and labor requirement for steers fed on grass in Chase 
County, Kans., in 1921, 1922, and 1923 
Item 
Number of head 
Number of herds 
Average number per herd 
Pasture record: 
On grass alone days. 
On feed and grass do_._ 
Out weight, per head ! pounds. 
Initial weight per head do... 
Gain per season do... 
Gain per day do... 
Acres per head 
Labor per month on 100 head: 
Man labor hours. 
Horse work do... 
Carrying costs per head: 
Grass 
Feed cost 
Interest on cattle 
Labor — man and horse- 
Death loss 
Other costs 
Total carrying costs per head 
Initial cost per head 
Total cost at shipping point— per head. 
Marketing charge (for those marketed) . 
Total receipts per head 
Class of steers by year 
Aged steers 
1,831 
9 
203 
129 
44 
1,203 
943 
260 
1.50 
5.05 
54.6 
70.7 
PS. 70 
4.67 
2.67 
1.15 
.12 
.76 
18.07 
71.81 
89.88 
4.68 
84.57 
493 
4 
123 
149 
29 
1,229 
886 
343 
1.93 
4.60 
46.5 
62.9 
$7.17 
5.12 
2.54 
.98 
1.05 
2.48 
19.34 
65. 70 
85.04 
3.68 
95.41 
1923 
1,497 
5 
299 
122 
22 
1,113 
909 
204 
1.42 
4.50 
41.9 
29.5 
13.77 
72.50 
86.27 
3.25 
88.65 
Two- 
year- 
old 
steers 
1922 
149 
2 
74 
136 
70 
1,092 
735 
357 
1.73 
3.60 
46.7 
63.8 
$7.91 
$6.94 
1.38 
12.37 
2.26 
3.40 
.66 
1.39 
.95 
.61 
.31 
24.41 
52.45 
76.86 
3.52 
90.59 
1 The out weight is the total weight of the cattle on leaving the pastures whether sold or lost by death. 
This weight is given on a Kansas City basis (allowing for shrink on steers that did not leave Chase County). 
