FATTENING CATTLE IN ALABAMA. 
21 
SLAUGHTER DATA. 
The experimental farm was located 9 miles from the railroad, so 
the steers had to be driven that distance before being loaded on the 
cars. They were all shipped to Meridian, Miss., a distance of 40 
miles, but were on the cars about 14 hours owing to a long delay 
through being sidetracked. The steers were weighed on the farm 
before being started on the road to the shipping point, as they were 
sold by farm weights after a 3 per cent shrink. As soon as they 
reached Meridian they were fed and watered, and after eating, drink- 
ing, and resting each one was weighed again. 
Table 8. — Slaughter data. 
1910. 
Lot. 
Ration. 
Average 
farm 
weight of 
each steer 
after 3 
per cent 
shrink. 
Average 
market 
weight of 
each 
steer. 
Average 
net 
shrink- 
age. 
Per cent 
of dressed 
to market 
weight. 
A 
Pounds. 
736 
809 
783 
Pounds. 
706 
785 
714 
Pounds. 
30 
24 
69 
Per cent. 
51 3 
B 
54.2 
G 
57 6 
1911. 
A 
Pasture alone 
810 
805 
765 
773 
45 
32 
51 1 
B 
Pasture and cottonseed cake 
51 4 
In 1910 each steer in lots A, B, and G lost on the average 30, 24, 
and 69 pounds, respectively, in weight as a result of being shipped. 
It is seen that the hay-fed steers lost heavily in weight. On account 
of suffering a heavy loss in transit these steers dressed out, by market 
weights, a high percentage, or 57.6 per cent, while the steers in lots 
A and B dressed only 51.3 and 54.2 per cent, respectively. In 1911 
the two lots of steers finally dressed out practically the same. 
FINANCIAL STATEMENT. 
The cattle from both tests were sold to a buyer of Meridian, Miss. 
Cattle were then, of course, much cheaper than they are now (1913), 
and the prices seem low compared with present prices. In 1910 the 
steers in lot A sold for 3 J cents a pound, those in lot B for 4 J cents 
a pound, and those in lot G for 4 cents a pound. In 1911 the steers 
in lot A sold for 3 \ cents a pound and those in lot B for 4 J cents a 
pound. These cattle were all sold on the farm after a 3 per cent 
shrink. The grass-fed steers made economical gains, but they sold 
finally at a very low price; not so low, however, but that profits 
were realized. 
