COMPARISON OF ROUGHAGES FOR FATTENING STEERS. 
27 
The feeds were charged against the steers at the following prices : 
Cottonseed meal per ton $33. 00 
Sorghum silage per ton__ 3.00 
Corn stover per ton__ 5.00 
Oat straw per ton__ 5.00 
The cottonseed meal was purchased early in the fall at the above 
price. Three dollars per ton covered the cost of growing and put- 
ting up the silage. Local market prices were placed upon the stover 
and straw. 
METHODS OF HANDLING AND FEEDING THE CATTLE. 
The 60 steers were purchased in October, brought to the farm, 
and allowed the run of stalk fields and lespedeza meadows. Two 
weeks before they were put on regular feed they were dehorned and 
started on a preliminary ration of cottonseed meal and sorghum 
silage. After dehorning, the flies were very troublesome, which, to- 
gether with the difficulty of getting some of the steers to eat silage 
and meal, caused quite material losses in weight. 
On November 23, 24, and 25, individual weights of all the steers 
were secured and the average taken as the initial weights of the 
steers. During the progress of the experiment each lot was weighed 
every 28 days, and individual weights were again taken on two con- 
secutive days at the conclusion of the test and averaged for the 
final weights. 
Experimental feeding began on November 24. Feeding was done 
about 7 a. m. and 5 p. m. each day. Water and salt were supplied 
as during the previous winter. Dry roughage was kept in the racks 
for the steers of Lots 2 and 3 at all times, fresh roughage being placed 
in the racks each morning after the silage was fed. 
The lots, sheds, and feeding equipment were the same as those 
used in the previous winter's experiment. 
AVERAGE DAILY RATIONS. 
The avearge daily rations per head by 28-day periods, and for 
the entire feeding period of 128 days, is shown in Table 12. 
Table 12. — Average daily ration per head by 28-day periods (Nov. 24, 1916, to 
Mar. 23, 1917—120 days). 
Lot 
No. 
Number 
of steers. 
Ration. 
First 
period. 
Second 
period. 
Third 
period. 
Fourth 
period. 
Fifth 
period 
(8 days). 
Entire 
period 
(120) 
days). 
1 
20 
20 
20 
(Cottonseed meal 
\Sorghum silage 
Pounds. 
2.7 
34.4 
2.7 
31.3 
1.9 
Pounds. 
5.1 
43.2 
5.1 
37.9 
3.0 
5.1 
36.4 
2.5 
Pounds. 
6.5 
49.2 
6.5 
40.6 
3.3 
6.5 
40.2 
2.3 
Pounds. 
7.2 
49.5 
7.2 
40.5 
3.4 
7.2 
39.9 
2.4 
Pounds. 
7.7 
42.8 
7.7 
-38.3 
2.9 
7.7 
37.4 
1.2 
Pounds. 
5.5 
43.9 
2 
[Cottonseed meal 
< Sorghum silage 
5.5 
37.6 
2.9 
3 
[Cottonseed meal 
< Sorghum silage 
2.7 
32.9 
1.8 
5.5 
37.4 
| Oat straw 
2.2 
