24 — 
I his indicates that thirty pounds of beets per day is a little 
too much for even a steer to handle. 
FOOD TO PRODUCE A POUND OF GROWTH. 
When the steers came to the farm they averaged 981 
pounds live weight, and on March 31, under the same con¬ 
ditions, 1, [20 pounds, a gain of 139 pounds per head, or an 
increase of 15 per cent, in live weight. They ate an equiva¬ 
lent to 45,000 pounds of hay, and 6,528 pounds of grain. 
Thus, each pound of growth required 18 pounds of hay and 
2.6 pounds of grain, costing 5.6 cents per pound of growth. 
Figured in the same way, it cost 4.6 cents for each pound of 
growth put on the sheep fed at the College during the same 
winter. After deducting freight and the other expenses of 
marketing, the steers sold for about 3.7 cents per pound, 
and the sheep for 5.05 cents per pound. The sheep paid for 
their feed in their growth, leaving the increase of value of 
the carcass for profit ; while each pound of growth in the 
steers cost more than it sold for, making a loss to be met 
from the increased value of the carcass. 
RELATIVE CHANCES OF PROFIT IN FEEDING STEERS AND SHEEP. 
A 1,000-pound steer bought at three cents a pound live 
weight, with a three per cent, shrink, will cost $29.10. After 
feeding for three months on hay and a little grain, it should 
weigh in Omaha, 1,090 pounds. The expenses for grain, 
labor, and interest, that is all the cost, except the hay, 
would be about $4.45, and the shipping expenses, $4.75, a 
total of $9.20. If sold for a cent a pound more than it cost, 
the returns would be $43.60, or a margin of $5.30 per steer 
for the hay. This would make a return of $2.65 per ton for 
alfalfa. Each ten cents taken off or added to the selling 
price of the steers will make a difference of about 55 cents 
per ton in the amount received for the hay. 
1 wenty 50-pound lambs, or 1,000 pounds of lambs will 
weigh in Chicago, after fattening, 1,600 pounds. They will 
cost for the expenses of shipment, $15, and, with grain at 
$12 per ton, the expense for grain, labor, interest, and dip¬ 
ping, will be $23, a total of $38. 
If bought at three cents and sold for five cents, the cost 
will be $30, and the selling price $80. This leaves a margin 
on the twenty lambs of $12, or a return of $3 per ton for 
hay. Each ten cents change in the selling price makes a 
difference of 40 cents per ton in the returns for the hay 
fed. 
