UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
In Cooperation with the 
West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station 
DEPARTMENT BULLETIN No. 1431 
Washington, D. C. T July, 1926 
EFFECT OF WINTER RATIONS ON GAINS OF CALVES MARKETED AS 
3-YEAR-OLD STEERS 
By E. W. Sheets and R. H. Ttjckwiller, Animal Husbandry Division, Bureau, 
of Animal Industry 1 
CONTENTS 
Page , Page 
The Appalachian region and its problems 1 < Comparison of winter rations 6 
Objects and plan of the work 2 1 Cost of rations __ .. 7 
Kind of steers used 3 Analyses of feeds 8 
Method of feeding and handling the steers.. . 3 i Conclusions 9 
Quantity of feed consumed and gains made.. 4 
THE APPALACHIAN REGION AND ITS PROBLEMS 
The work reported in this bulletin is part of a series of experiments 
on beef -production problems in the Appalachian Mountain region that 
have been in progress since December 22, 1914, in cooperation between 
the Bureau of Animal Industry of the United States Department of 
Agriculture and the West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, 
on the farm of David Tuckwiller, in Greenbrier County, W. Va. 
This farm is situated in the southeastern part of the State, in the blue- 
grass area. The results of this experiment apply not only to West 
Virginia, but also the adjacent States having similar conditions, as 
shown in Figure 1. Some of the methods and results may be utilized 
to advantage by cattle feeders in other parts of the country. 
The topography of most of this region is mountainous. Practically 
all the region is suitable for grazing. There are a great many valleys 
and plateaus where the land varies from almost level to gently rolling. 
Such land is well adapted for pasture and the production of cultivated 
crops. Though the region for the most part is cleared of virgin forest, 
there are still large areas of cut-over land. The farms vary in size 
from less than 100 to more than 1,000 acres. On most farms there is 
sufficient tillable land for the production of winter feed. Relatively 
little surplus grain is produced. 
1 Acknowledgment is made of the services of C. V. Wilson, of the West Virginia Agricultural Experiment 
Station. 
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