CALF FEEDING IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI. 
33 
QUANTITY AND COST OF FEED TO MAKE 100 POUNDS OF GAIN. 
The most important data in any feeding experiment are those re- 
lating to the daily ration, the rate of gain made by the animals, the 
amount of feed which is required to make 100 pounds of gain in 
weight, and the difference in selling price which results from the 
different methods of feeding. With these figures any prospective 
feeder can determine fairly accurately what feeds he had better use 
in fattening his cattle, how much he will need, and the gains he may 
expect ; and knowing the cost of his cattle and feeds and about what 
the finished cattle will sell for he can approximate the profit or loss 
which may result from fattening his stock. 
In the past farmers and stockmen have paid too little attention to 
these figures and laid too much stress upon the financial outcome of 
the special test to get the most good out of the experimental work. 
Table 18 shows the amount of feed required to produce 100 pounds 
of gain in weight on the calves and also the comparative cost of 100 
pounds of gain. 
Table 18. — Quantity and cost of feed required to make 100 pounds of gain, and 
selling price of calves (Nov. 12, 1915, to Apr. 12, 1916, 156 days). 
Lot 
No. 
Ration. 
Feed to 
make 100 
pjunds 
of gain. 
Cost 
of 100 
pounds 
gain. 1 
Selling 
price of 
calves 
per 100 
pounds. 
Pounds. 
213 
1,318 
2G8 
88 
353 
1,025 
2G9 
489 
7G9 
250 
1 $6. 8G 
I 9.05 
1 9. 14 
1 
$8.17 
1 Alfalfa 
2 
1 Corn silage 
8.58 
1 Alfalfa hay 
[Shelled corn 
3 
•{Corn silage 
8.66 
(Alfalfa hay 
1 Prices of feeds used: Cottonseed meal, $27 per ton; corn, 70 cents per bushel; corn silage, $3 per ton; 
alfalfa hay, $15 per ton. 
The calves in all three lots received the same kind of roughage, 
but ate varying amounts, dependent upon their appetites after con- 
suming their grain. The daily gain of the calves in all lots was 
fairly uniform, but the amount of roughage consumed varied con- 
siderably. This variation is reflected in the amount of roughage 
required to make 100 pounds of gain. 
The amount of feed required to make 100 pounds of gain is seen 
to be 213 pounds of cottonseed meal, 1,318 pounds of silage, and 
268 pounds of alfalfa hay for lot 1; 88 pounds of cottonseed meal, 
353 pounds of shelled corn, 1,025 pounds of silage, and 269 pounds 
of alfalfa for lot 2; and 489 pounds of shelled corn, 769 pounds of 
silage, and 250 pounds of alfalfa for lot 3. 
