16 BULLETIN 1024, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
To determine which ration should be used in a particular feeding 
operation, it is suggested that the feeder apply local prices to the 
average amounts of the feeds consumed per cow, as given in Tables 
3 and 8. 
: COSTS OF RATIONS AND OF CALVES PRODUCED. 
= 
Because of the unusually high percentage of calves dropped, which 
was due to the practice of substituting cows that were bred for any 
which failed to breed in time for a spring calf the following year, the 
cost per cow kept is only slightly less than the cost per calf raised, as 
Table 9 shows. It is considered that the cost of labor, the bull 
charges, and other expenses are balanced by the manure produced. 
TABLE 9.—Cost of feeding the cows during the four years and the average cost 
for each calf raised to weaning age. : 
Cost to |Total cost Cost per 
Lot : 
z Ration. Season. | winter | per year ; 
aie per cow. | per cow.1 |“! Taised 
1 | Corn silage, mixed hay, and wheat straw.-.-...........- 1915-16 
1916-17 
1917-18 
1918-19 
AW ELEPE: R22 22 Sac os ss Leto al eeseeseee sete eee eee nese exe 
2 | Corn silage, soy-bean hay, and wheat straw............. 1916-17 
1917-18 
1918-19 
AWETASC. 355 28k s ees oe eee eee nee ee eee 
3 | Corn silage, cottonseed meal, and wheat straw.......... 1915-16 
; 1916-17 
1917-18 
1918-19 
AW OLAS C2202 Se ee oe see Sees ee ee eee eee ee eee eee eee ee eeise 
4 | Shock corn, mixed hay, and wheat straw...-..........-- | 1915-16 
1 The cost of keeping a cow a year in this table is for 365 days, instead of for the winter period of 132 days 
and 140 days in summer while suckling calves, as reported in Tables 6 and 7. 
COMPARISON OF RESULTS WITH SILAGE AND SHOCK CORN. 
TaBLeE 10—Comparative value of the silage rations and the shock-corn ration. 
1 , { 
Lot 1. Lot 2. 
Corn sil- | Corn sil- 
Item. I ere tonseed | _ corn, 
: “wheat” | eheat”| Teal |- wheat 
straw straw. = 
Average yearly call per COW =< = 2. 22. =~ pe eee pounds. . 36 49 61 10 
Winter gains and losses per cow.........--- ees cee dos2: —4 +47 +20 —449 
Percentage of calves raised per year----....-.....-.-- per cent... 97 95 87 90 
Avyerave|birth weiehnt oreali-s—-- ee pounds. . 65.9 67.9 65.4 61.1 
Cost per cbw to winter!:- 224352 7 Meese Chee eee $19.69 $19. 32 $17. 88 $27. 50 
Cost per Cow penday iO WiINLEI) 26. eee ae ee ee eee 515 .14 14 By), 
Total cost offeed per cow for one Year-..........-.-.....------- 33. 69 33. 10 31. 87 42.14 
Daily cost offeed per cow for one year_...............---.------- Bere Ut) 09 09 113 
Cost of feed per cali raised: 2 eke OSES SC Pee at hf 0 3 Rab 34. 38 36. 54 46. 82 
Saving per Cow by using silages<222- 22 Sse pene eee eee 8.45 9.04 1027) eee = 
Saving per calf raised2&. - 625. eee eee ee eee 12. 43 
