30 BULLETIN 762, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Lot 2, cottonseed meal, sorghum silage, and corn stover : 
To 20 steers. 17.129 pounds, at $5.56 per hundredweight .$952. 37 
To 13.315 pounds cottonseed meal, at $33 per ton 219. 70 
To 90,255 pounds sorghum silage, at S3 per ton 135. 3S 
To 7,010 pounds corn stover, at $5 per ton 17. 60 
To freight, yardage, commission, etc 103. 31 
Total expenditure 1, 428. 36 
By sale of 20 steers, 20,370 pounds, at $10.99 per hundredweight- 2. 23S. 66 
Total profit , : 810. 30 
Average profit per steer 40. 51 
Lot 3, cottonseed meal, sorghum silage, and oat straw : 
To 20 steers, 17.112 pounds, at $4.46 per hundredweight 951. 43 
To 13.995 pounds cottonseed meal, at $33 per ton 230. 92 
To 89.679 pounds sorghum silage, at $3 per ton 134. 52 
To 5,2S2 pounds oat straw, at $5 per ton 13. 21 
To freight, yardage, commission, etc 103. 31 
Total expenditure 1, 433. 39 
By sale of 20 steers, 20,010 pounds, at $10.77 per hundredweight- 2, 155. OS 
Total profit 721. 69 
Average profit per steer 36. OS 
Tlie steers were purchased in the fall for So. 56 per hundred- 
weight. After being fed 120 days and held on the farm 8 days 
longer, they were shipped to the St. Louis market. There the 
steers of Lot 1. which had been fed cottonseed meal and silage, sold 
for an average of $10.89 per hundredweight : those of Lot 2 brought 
si 0.99 per hundredweight, while those of Lot 3 sold for $10.77 per 
hundredweight. The market prices, while not widely different, in- 
dicate the relative finish of the steers of the three lots, and the 
profits were greatest on the steers which were finished best. 
The margin of selling was $5.33 per hundredweight for Lot 1. 
$5.13 for Lot 2. and $5.21 for Lot 3. Such margins would in them- 
selves largely account for the large profit realized from the steers. 
The average profit per steer was $39.10 for Lot 1. $10.51 for Lot 
2. and $36.08 for Lot 3. These figures indicate the efficiency of the 
rations used. At the same time the wide margin realized between the 
buying and selling prices must be considered one of the chief factors 
determining the large profit. 
The steers fed cottonseed meal, silage, and corn stover made the 
largest profit, and the steers fed cottonseed meal, sorghum, silage, and 
oat straw made the smallest profit. 
SHRINKAGE AND SLAUGHTER DATA. 
As stated before, the experimental feeding was concluded March 
24, at which time the supply of silage was exhausted. The steers 
were held until April 1 in order to appear for a farm demonstration 
at the Canton Stock Farm. Silage for the steers during this time 
