8 
COLORADO EXPERIMENT STATION 
feeding two winters or one 
In considering winter-feeding for two winters compared with 
feeding the third winter only, we must note first of all that the steers 
fed as yearlings weighed 261 pounds per head more at marketing 
than the steers fed the last winter only, and were worth 45 cents 
per cwt. more than the latter. They were both heavier and fatter. 
Whether this extra weight and fatness paid for the feed put into 
them as yearlings is problematic. The feed for the steers, brought 
to the College in different seasons was not kept separate, so that the 
feed per head as shown in the following table is an average for all 
the steers: 
AVERAGE FEED AND GAIN PER HEAD 
2 nd and 3 rd Winters 
Season 
Winter 
Number 
Head 
Average 
Weight 
at Close 
Winter 
Average 
Gain 
During 
(Vinter 
Feed Per 
Head in Pounds 
Cost of 
Feed Per 
Corn 
Alfalfa 
Hay 
Sugar 
Beets 
Head 
1906-07... 
20 (held 
over) 
991 
992 
2644 
1306 
$19.89 
1906-07... 
20 (sold) 
1087 
1203 
2536 
2270 
24 04 
1906-07... 
40 (all) 
1039 
307 
1138 
2660 
1921 
22.83 
1907-08... 
35 
1289 
284 
1252 
2835 
1998 
24.60 
NOTE—Price of corn, $1.00 per hundred; price of alfalfa, $5.00 per ton; price of 
beets, $5.00 per ton. 
AVERAGE FEED AND GAIN PER HEAD 2ND AND 3 RD WINTERS. 
The steers denoted in the second column of this table as “held 
over,” comprised six head of the steers fed as calves, and 14 head of 
those brought in as yearlings. The average feed per head for these 
during the second winter was 992 pounds of corn, 1306 pounds of 
sugar beets, and 2644 pounds of hay, or in round numbers ton 
corn, 2% tons of hay, and 2/3 of a ton of sugar beets. At the prices 
listed, this feed cost about $20.00 per head ($19.89). With alfalfa 
hay at $10.00 per ton, the cost of feed would be raised to about 
$26.00 per head. 
Now for returns. Assuming that the feed during the third 
winter, for the two lots under discussion, was approximately equal, 
as assumption not out of the way, the extra income from the steers 
fed two winters may be credited against the first winter’s feed. Re¬ 
ferring again to Table A, we find the steers fed the second and 
third winters weighed 1407 pounds per head at the close. This 
weight at an advance of 45 cents per cwt. over the other steers, 
means $6.33 credit. Then 261 pounds extra weight at $6.20 gives 
$16.18, or a total of $22.51 to credit against the feed. And yet 
another item is to be taken into consideration, the College range 
is not good range late in the summer, which accounts for the low 
gains made each summer. Any range man would expect to secure 
larger gains than are shown by the spring and fall weights of these 
steers. So that with this evidence before us, I believe the winter 
