LEAFLET NO. 47
A COMPARISON
of PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS
in the WINTERING RATION
of BEEF STEERS
W. B. Kelley, L. A. Smith, and C. M. Martin*
For many years beef cattle pro-
ducers of the Black Belt have fed
high protein supplements with grass
hay for winter maintenance of their
herds. Cottonseed meal has been
the principal protein supplement
fed lut some soybean and peanut
meals also have been used. John-
songrass hay has been the roughage
generally fed.
Considerable 
interest has 
been
shown in the use of commercial
range pellets, a number of which
are available on the market. Since
the price of these pellets usually
approximates that of cottonseed
meal, the question arises as to
whether their value as a concen-
trate supplement in a wintering
ration is comparable to that of cot-
tonseed meal. Also, since there is
a considerable price range among
pellets available, the question
arises as to the relative nutritive
value of various commercial pellets.
To compare range pellets with
*Superintendent, Black Belt Substa-
tion; Assistant Superintendent, Black
Belt Substation; and Associate Ani-
mal Husbandman, Agricultural Experi-
ment Station, Alabama Polytechnic
Institute, Auburn.
cottonseed meal in a wintering
ration, an experiment was begun in
the winter of 1952-53 and continued
the next winter. Pellets used were
of two different prices, one repre-
senting the upper and the other the
lower price range.
PROCEDURE
Seventy Hereford steers ranging
in weight from 700 to 1,100 pounds
were used in this experiment. The
steers in the first year's study were
in the lighter weight range. They
were divided into three groups for
the feeding trials.
Oat straw was used as the rough-
age because of a shortage of John-
songrass hay. The ration was bal-
anced to provide protein require-
ments and to furnish enough total
digestible nutrients to produce
approximately one-half pound of
gain per day. Both the low-priced
and the high-priced pellets con-
tained 20 per cent protein. The
protein content of the cottonseed
meal was 41 per cent. Salt and
steamed bonemeal were fed free
choice to all lots.
Each group of steers was grazed
on approximately 1 acre of perman-
ent pasture per steer during the
STATION
INSTITUTE
Auburn, Alabama
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT
4Me ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC
E. V. Smith, Director
Wllt~Lllt~l~ Lllt;lT Valll~f as a C~,rlct~rr- vu~
MARCH 1955
feeding periods, but little forage
was available during the wintering
seasons. Rotation of pastures was
practiced every 2 weeks to offset
any variation due to pasture differ-
ences.
RESULTS
The group of steers fed cotton-
seed meal received 3.06 pounds
more oat straw per day than the
other groups. The rations included
either 1.79 pounds of cottonseed
meal or 3.87 pounds of pellets.
Approximately the same daily
gain per steer was made in all
groups. Total gains per steer for
the 76-day feeding period were 43.5
pounds for the cottonseed meal
group, 49 pounds 
for the group fed
ow-priced pellets, and 54 pounds
for the high-priced pellet group.
The average wintering cost per
steer was $10.36 for the 
cottonseed
meal group as compared with $15.24
and $17.34 for the low-priced and
high-priced pellet groups, respec-
tively. At the prices prevailing
during this experiment, feeding a
smaller amount of cottonseed meal
plus additional roughage resulted
in a cheaper winter ration.
CONCLUSIONS
Protein is the most limited food
element needed in a ration consist-
ing of low quality non-legume
roughage such as oat straw or low
quality Johnsongrass hay. There-
fore, when maintenance or a slight
daily gain in beef cattle is desired
during winter, low quality roughage
can be utilized economically if
enough protein concentrate is fed
with the roughage to satisfy the
protein needs of the animals. When
such a feeding practice is followed,
beef cattle get their energy require-
ments from the roughage.
Under these conditions, the
amount and unit cost of the protein
in the supplement should be con-
sidered when the most economical
wintering of cattle is desired.
Comparison of Protein Supplements in the Wintering Ration of Beef Steers,
Black Belt Substation, 2-Year Average, 1952-53 and 1953-54
Gain per Cost of gain per steer, Refused
Steers Gain per 76 days* straw per
Group Daily ration 
steer,
per group 76 days Oat Concen- steer,
straw trate Total 76 days
Pounds Number Pounds Dollars Dollars Dollars Pounds
1.79 cottonseed
No. 1 meal pellet 22 43.5 5.30 5.06 10.36 51.3
13.96 oat straw
3.87 low-priced
No. 2 pellet 24 49.0 4.14 11.10 15.24 0.6
10.90 oat straw
3.87 high-priced
No. 3 pellet 24 54.0 4.14 13.20 17.34 0.4
10.90 oat straw
*Prices of feed: oat straw, $10 per ton; 41% protein cottonseed meal, $74.39 per ton;
20% protein low-priced pellets, $75.48 per ton; and 20% high-priced pellets, $89.76
per ton.