BULLETIN No. 151 JUNE, 1910 ALABAMA Agricultural experiment Station OF THE Alabama Polytechnic Institute AUBURN 1. Wintering Steers in Alabama. 2. Fattening. Cattle on Pasture in Alabama. BY DAN T. GRAY, Professor of Animal Industry, and W. F. WARD, Junior Animal Husbandman, Bureau of Animal Industry. Opelika, Ala.: The Post Pubishing Company, 1910 COMMITTEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT STATION. HON. H. L. MARTIN...............................Ozark HON. TANCRED B rTTS ........................... Huntsville HON. A. W. BELL.................................Anniston STATION STAFF. C. C. THACH...................................President. J. F. DUGGAR.................... Director and Agriculturist Chemist and State Chemist B. B. Ross ........................ C. A. CARY .... Veterinarian and Director of Farmers' Institutes F. E. LLOYD................Plant Physiologist.and Pathologist Horticulturist P. F. WILLIAMS ............................... J. T. ANDERSON......:...... Chemist, -Soil and Crop Investigation Animal Industry ........................ D. T. GRAY..... C. L. W. E. HINDS.......................................Entomologist Chemist HARE...................................... -Chemist C. SWILLIAMSON.............................Associate First Assistant Chemist. ............. T. BRAGG................ E. F. CAUTHEN.............. Farm Superintendent and Recorder Junior Animal Husbandman W. F. WARD* ................... J. W. RIDGEWAY*......................... Special Agent in Beef H. J. CHATTERTON*........................ .Special Agent in Beef Second Assistant Chemist N. E. BELL......... ................... I. S. MCADORY ..... .. .. .. .. . . Assistant in Veterinary Science Assistant in Entomology Assistant in Agriculture Assistant in Botany C. J. W. F. TURNER......................... M. J. FUNCHESS.................. ....... S. RIDGEWAY .. .. .. ..................... C. PRICE.. L.- W. SHooK. .. .. . .. .Assistant . .. . ...... .. .. . ... :. . .. .". .. . .Assistant in in Horticulture' Animal IndustryStenographer, 0. H. SELLERS ............................... *In co-operative beef work with Bureau of Animal Industry. SUMMARY. PART 1. 1. The cattle used in all of these tests were practically mature ones. 2. Winter rations used: Lot 1... 1907-'08. Range alone. 1908-'09. Range alone. Range plus half ration cottonseed meal and hulls. Lot 2.... Range plus half ration cottonseed meal and hulls. Lot 3.... Range plus half ration peavine hay. Range plus half ration cottonseed. Lot 4.... Range plus half ration cheap hay. 3. In 1907-'08 each range steer (Lot 1) lost 97 pounds in weight. In 1908-'09 each range steer (Lot 1) lost 106 pounds in weight. 4. In 1907-'08 each steer in Lot 2 received 2.35 pounds of cottonseed meal and 8.5 pounds of hulls each day in addition to the range. During the winter of 1908-'09 each steer in Lot 2 received 2.41 pounds of cottonseed meal and 8.71 pounds of hulls daily. The first year each steer lost 6 pounds in weight; the second year each steer gained 3 pounds in weight. 5. In 1907-'08 each steer in Lot 3 was fed a daily ration of 8.5 pounds of good peavine hay in addition to the range; the loss in weight per steer for the winter was 9 pounds. 6. In 1908-'09 cottonseed was tried as a supplement to the range, 4.71 pounds being fed to each steer daily. The loss in weight per steer for the winter was 40 pounds. 7. In 1908-'09 cheap hay was used in Lot 4 to supplement the range, 11.8 pounds being fed to each steer daily. The winter loss per steer was 40 pounds. 8. The total cost to winter each steer in 1907-'08 was $4.70 and $3.57 in Lots 2 and 3 respectively. The total cost to winter each steer in 1908-'09 was $5.63, $3.23 and $2.06 in Lots 2, 3 and 4 respectively. 9. In 1907-'08 the fall buying price was $2.50 per hun- 28 dred weight. When the expense of wintering the steers wlas added to the fall price the spring prices were found to be $2.89, $3.17 and $3.03 per hundred weight in Lots 1, 2 and 3 respectively. 10. In 1908-'09 the fall buying price was $2.56 per hundred weight. When the expense of wintering the steers was added to the fall price, the spring prices were found to be $3.01, $3.34, $3.20 and $3.09 per hundred weight in Lots 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. PART II. 1. The steers which were used in the above winter work were re-divided into lois and continued into the summer feeding wIork. 2. In 1908 the steers were fed for a period of 112 days on pasture. In 1909 they were fed for 154 days. 3. The summer rations were: 1908. Lot A.... Pasture alone. plus cottonseed Lot B.... Pasture cake. Lot C.... Pasture plus "Caddo" cake. Lot D.... Pasture plus cottonseed cake. Lot E........................... 1909. Pasture alone. Pasture plus cottonseed cake. Pasture plus cottonseed. 4. In 1908 the amount of feed used daily per steer, in addition to the pasture, was 3.31 pounds, 3.31 pounds and and D respectively. In 1909 the 2.76 pounds in Lots B, CO daily amount of feed used per steer to supplement the pasture was 3.40 pounds and 4.49 pounds in Lots B and E respectively. 5. In 1908 the average daily gains were 1.51, 2.32, 1.84 and 1.62 pounds in Lots A, B, C and D respectively. In 1909 the average daily gains were 1.74, 1.88 and 2.06 pounds in Lots A, B and E respectively. 6. In 1908 the total cost to' make one hundred pounds gain was $1.18, $2.56, $3.03 and $3.24 in Lots A, B, C and D respectively. In 1909 the total cost to make one hundred pounds of gain wa's $1.03, $3.21 and $2.39 in Lots A, B and E respectively. 29 7. In 1908 the net profits per steer were $2.86, $10.42, $6.62 and $0.43 in Lots A, B, C and D respectively. In 1909 the net profits per steer were $7.06, $6.99 and $8.39 in Lots A, B and E respectively. .8. In 1908 the steers dressed out (farm weights) 49.5 per cent, 53.8 per cent, 53.6 per cent and 52.7 per cent in Lots A, B, C and D respectively. In 1909 they dressed out (farm weights) 51.8 per cent, 54.2 per cent and 53.9 per cent in Lots A, B and E respectively. 9. These experiments are being continued at the present writing. Same Alaba ma grass steers. In E'p(,)I~ in summer 1909. (o u, I 1. 2. Wintering Steers in Alabama. Fattening Cattle on Pasture in Alabama. BY D)AN T. (THAY AND WX.F. XX Alt. In B iiilet in 1o. 150* a re putblished tihe results of thre info~rmation w ichr w',as collected bx tire Alabamra Exiperiment StIation and the 1Bireaur of .\rimrra Inrdrstry- at N'shiirgron in a three dear: .' ksi to de'termlinre tihe cost of raisirrg an bief caii. (one point is broutght olit cieiriiv in that work, rraniei, ir~r; if 1:rrrte.N is to bie nill1( upon0 ibeef operations, ihe s teer trius t be properly' finished for tire mrr ket before ie is (01:ter for ;:;14. It' ie strrr is sina nrnfrtirsird, the Imaiu whro raised imn is alri nst stre to losI, ironex on lire lreo qjesii00 arises, ilien, hlow shlrl lire steer, after hre hras ixet rtaisedl, r hats r-eachied tire feed-lot periord, he finished tfor tire uniet tin yet tire 1"neat'si possible profit ont orf him:'r ?The steer cnm h finIihed inl one oii tt.~o IN. s: Ie can he fal tered il ill r r f ire N inrter mronths, or lie (anr ijw *'fbn)se interested in the subject of beef productian can get the bulletin tby writing ta the Alabama Experiment Statian at Auburn, or tire Bureau of Animal Indutry at Washington. 31 fattened during the summer months while the pastures are Since the co-operative beef work between the available. Alabama Experiment Station and the Bureau of Animal Industry began, some results have been published relative to winter fattening.**. The present bulletin presents the results of two years' work in fattening cattle upon pasture during the summer months and selling the cattle at the end of the summer. It should be understood that this bulletin is only a report of the progress of the work, as the experiments are being continued. DETAILS OF THE EXPERIMENTS. PLAN OF THE WORK. The cattle were bought in the fall, on account of the fact that they could be bought much cheaper in the fall than in the spring. In fact, they could hardly be bought at all in the spring. But they were not to be fattened until the following summer, so it became necessary to make a study of the cheapest and best methods of getting these mature steers through the winter months. So the work was divided into: 1. A study of methods of wintering mature steers, 2. Fattening these steers on pasture the following summer. The cattle used in the winter's work were continued into the following summer's work. CATTLE USED. The various pictures will show the kind of cattle which were used in these tests. Grade Aberdeen-Angus, Shorthorn, Hereford, and Red Polled were used. Many of them had a predominance of Jersey and scrub breeding. They were all bought of farmers in Sumter, Wilcox, Marengo, and neighboring counties, so they represented the average cattle of the western part of Alabama. They varied from two to four years in age. As will be seen later, the average weight at the beginning of the fall work was about 750 pounds each. **See Btureau of Animal Industry Bulletin No. 103. u l f~ ie trl o i / l.:- lve\ 11m11 114 o IIoi ib4 li. Il 'Iieg to ltheL fact iet Io I!lie iat of IIhin .Iiasinr Jast ntl IX iah (Ill 4 Ilte Exper8 8 (jbnie hl1oui ot he 1018 work i o hii Ilel iii M\r. W\. F'. Vail. ,ind had priIsoxihi siif44ii sIll At the eii,l (of (lach e\I~eiielit aS wo tationled uponi I lie farmn of nill the exp~erimenltoil work1l. the cit tie Nvere hll s!4I4ipjwd 1.4 1 V _. (I gamof ate steelr,- ltilathoi. Ttal hes tof w~ilitl tter.r,i raue Thel (witer ruinge ositi e the w If ot (lin xc4pt thlole ini the ranglie The clittle e4 brakes wele uised. ere nolt 'giveni uiil imitedl gauhge; eacth lot «111 Conifinles 1(41-, Av to a c11th ii area~. (i f courise, the maniu whoi, has cane brakes 33 has an advantage in handling and feeding cattle in the winter time. Those animals which were confined in limited areas had about ten acres each upon which to graze. The outside cattle, or range lot, h- d an unlimited grazing area. The winter range was available for use immediately after the cotton had all been picked. SUMMER PASTURE. The summer pasture used in these experiments consisted of a mixture of sweet clover (Melilotus), Japan clover (Lespedeza), Johnson grass, crab grass, and some bermuda. The sweet clover became available for grazing about April 1, while the Japan clover was not ready until about June 15. In some sections of the country sweet clover is considered a pest, as stock will not eat it, but in the South, or at least in Alabama, all kinds of stock eat it with great relish: here they take to the 'sweet clover as readily as to alfalfa. The pasture was divided into lots; the size of each lot depending unon the number of cattle grazed upon.it, and as to whether the steers were to be fed a concentrated supplement or not. The object was to have an abundance of pasture for each bunch of cattle. METHOD 'OF FEEDING AND HANDLING THE CATTLE. In both the winter and summer work the steers were fed but once a day. In the winter time movable feed troughs were placed out in the fields in which to feed the hulls, cottonseed meal and cottonseed, and movable hay racks were made in which to.feed the hay. The racks and troughs were all made movable so that the manure would be distributed over the corn and cotton fields. Movable feed troughs were also used during the summer feeding on pasture. No feeds were thrown upon the ground. No shelter. except trees, was provided for the cattle in either the winter or summer time. They had no access to sheds. They did not 'suffer to any appreciable extent from the cold in the winter time or from the heat in the summer time. The summer pastures were well provided with good shade trees. When a summer shade is provided, cattle will not suffter as mn uch fromi heat in Alabamta as they wviil in IlIlintois or Iowxa. While the~re were tick~s in the p)astures, the cattle were not permitted to become badly infested with them; a dipping vat was used to k~eep down heavy infest atioti. In the two years' wo (rk, duin g whiichi time oxver 300 head of cat tie were fattened, there wxet-e onlyx fouri cases of Texas fever, and none of these cases wxas lost. In fuiturc wvork it is cxpected t hat the t ick will be ent irely- eliminated. TPhe wyeight of each steer wxas secured at tic begining and end~ of each test. The total weight of each lot xvas securied evrx Ixent t-ci git day s. tw Wh len thle ste"s we' re sold theyc x had to be d ri vent nine miiles tip a sh ippitii, point. liii 2. trod of cI,,,r 1:-W .1Fccd, cotoibi/S(ce billb; uud cot/vip ,dcci meal pl-as rangbe. Total winter gain of each steer, -6 pounds. Total cost of wintering each steer, $4.70. inucr OF Frm~s T'SFD. Whlien thle feeds xwere) purtchasedC upon0 tihe market, tihe martket price plus thle expense of hauling to the farmit was used in imaking up thie financial statment. When I he feed uise cixxas _,rownt upoith ie fat-tn an assumettd ttmarlkcI pitoce was t placted utpon it. local conditions determine to a large extent, thle fai pr-icies of feeids. Any prices that thle auithors tn might assume xwiuld not meet all condit iouts, but the folloxwing pri(cs htax-c bieen taken as a biasis upon xxihich to rest the financial estimates: Cot tonseed meal .... $26. 00 Cottonseed..............14.00 ,( Cadd(o" cake...........23.00 C ot tonseed cake.........25.00 Cottonseed hulls.........6. 00 I anired haN'............5.00 C'owpeta ha'-.............10.00 Past ure..................50 p)er ton per ton per ton per ton per ton per ton per ton per moon th per steer The above representts the priices of the piurchased feeds laid down on the farm; the farm was fourteen miles from thme railroad slat ion. 'IlI.e cot tonseel (ake, Wiilt had been broken into nut size and sacked, was purchased from the Epes Cotton Oil Co. of E les, :Alaba ma. Tis cane (an be it corms front the lirircia'sed in lhe lamie calke size. just:i wier gain of cach .Mee~r, -9 win tering each steer, $3.57. pounds. Total cost of press, for about two dol lars a ton cheaper than in the nut size. Some feeders find flint Iit pays to break the cakve on their own fains. The cake is 1he saute thing as the cot tonseed mtealI, excelt I hat Iit is not1 gi it td into a metal. There are several ail~mInigrcs in feeling caike in place of cottonlx seed meal eslqecinll* ini suniiter feed ing. A\ rain does not 1wnatlatab e; hut it N ill oft en ptut the mncal render thme cak it siuch a eondiit ion t hat thme cattle will not eat it. Again, no logs is inciurired « ith fipecake duiring w mndv davs; cottonseedmeal, when fed in thn' open ptastumre, is wasted (on account of the winds. Ftirthermiore the cake requires chewing before 36 being swallowed and therefore must be eaten very much slower than the meal, so when a number of steers are being fed together the greedy one has little chance to get enough cake to produce scours. In feeding cottonseed meal the greedy steer often scours on account of the fact that he can bolt the meal and get more than his share; this not only injures the steer but makes the bunch "feed out" unevenly. The "Caddo" cake was purchased from the Caddo Cotton Oil Company of Shreveport, Louisiana. "Caddo" cake is the cake left after extracting the oil from the cottonseed by the cold process. That is, it is made up of both the cake and the hulls; or it consists of everything in the seed ex* cept the oil. These tests do not show it to be as valuable for feeding purposes as the ordinary cottonseed cake. The chemical, analysis of the "Caddo" cake fed, as reported by the State Chemist, Dr. B. B. Ross, of Auburn, was as follows: 9.75 per cent. Moisture ................... 4.70 per cent. Ash ....................... 21.18 per cent. Fibre ..................... 27.62 per cent. Protein .................... 8.78 per cent. Ether Extract (oil) ........ 27.97 per cent. Carbohydrates ............. The mixed hay was a second or third class hay that could not be sold upon the market at all. It consisted of a mixture of Johnson grass, crab grass, and some alfalfa. The price placed upon it was all it was worth. The cow pea hay was bright and of good quality. PART I. WINTERING THE CATTLE. As previously stated, the steers were bought in the fall of the year as they could then be secured cheaper than at any other date. In fact, in western Alabama where the work was done, the cattle could not be purchased in the spring at all. The object was to get these steers through the winter months as economically as possible 'and fatten them on pasture the following summer. Farmers are not agreed as to what is the best way to handle and feed mature steers during the winter months. Some farmers claim that the animals should be "roughed" through the winter upon a very small amount of feed in addition to the winter range; some hold that the range needs no supplementary feed at all; still others believe that the steer should be fed liberally so that he will be kept gaining all through the winter months. The cattle used in the winter work were dehorned, tagged, and divided into lots (Three lots in the winter of 1907-'08, and four lots in the winter of 1908-'09) so that a study could be made of the amount of feed that should be fed during the winter time, and also to learn the value of some of the Southern feeds for carrying cattle through the cold months. GAINS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. The winters of 1907-'08 and 1908-'09 were both mild ones. There was no weather cold enough to make the steers suffer, although, as before mentioned, there was no shelter at all, except a few trees. The following table shows the ration fed, total weights, and gains of each lot for the two winters: 38 TAFILE 1. Gains During Winter 1907-'08-(84 days.) o d~ RATION Lbs. 1 26 Lbs. 625. Lbs. Lbs. 1 15" - Range alone....................722. Range plus half ration cottonseed meal and hulls........ Range plus half ration peavine 726. 724. -97. - 2 3 29 24 720. 715. 6. - o' .11 9. - Gains During Winter 1908-'09-(98 days). .1 2 25 25 3 25 Dec. 4 Mch. 12 Range alone.....................705. 599 0 106.-1.08 Range.plus half ration cottonseed meal and hulls........ Range plus half70 ration cotton25 Range ................ half pluy. raion cheap 705. 708. . 6. 649 . -40 4..25.............89. . -.57- *This lot started in test January 1st, so fed only 70 days. It was intended that the steers which received some feed in addition to the range should suffer no logs in weight during the winter months, but some cases the loss was considerable during the latter part of the winter period when the range afforded very little grazing. The object was~ to give just enough feed, in addition to the range, to enable the cattle to hold their fall weight. iNo gains in live weight were desired. It should be remembered that these were all practically mature cattle, varying from two to four years in age. During the first winter the experiment continued from December 9 to March 3, a period of 85 days. During this time the range cattle (Lot 1) lost 97 po.1 nds each in live weight while the steers in Lots 2 and 3 practically neld their iaii weights. All of the cattle came through the winter in excellent health. While the cattle in the range in lot xx cre thbin at the cud of the winter season, still they werei in good cond~ition for grazing; tli ev xident ly had not been weakened in any way. At the opening of the spring the steers in the peaxinie hay lot (Lot 3) seemed to be in bettecr thrift than those in Lot 2', (the cottonseed meal and hulls lot), but t hey made practical ly the same gains in weighit during tL(e follow inig summlier. Thle hiay u sed in 1!07-'08 was of goodl qua litx. DuItri ng t he xxinter of I 90S-'0!), thle test con tinuled fromi D ecember 4t tb March 121hIia period of !)S dax's. There o xeere pravi ically thie same loses in live weight as the previous xvinter in Lots I and 2. In the ranmoe lot eaorh steer lost 106 tI Li, 1 . 01 vioHHter 1909. Feed, range alonHe. Total wi,,iter gain, q each steer, -106 pounds. Total cost of winterillg each steer, (?). plound~s. The steers in L~ots and1( I 1 l allidll in xweighit the last mlonih of the test, dime to the fact that lhe g1laZIlig onl thle 1la111- xx;t not goodi at the end of th e siasoli it xxas 1not inI ended 1hat they should shink in xxeigh . Lot 4 xvas not startedi in the test until .January 1, so lie catlte in t his lot wxere fee' oly seventy daYs. Thie hia xused, by L~ot 4 was n very cheap hay; it wnls mlade lip of an mixt ure of .1ohitisot grass. (ral lmas and some alfalfa. but had N en damaged biv rain to such an extent that it couh'_ not be sold ait all. 40 USED. During the winter of 1907-'08 a comparson was.made between feeding on the range alone and the same range when .supplemented in one lot with a part ration of cottonseed meal and hulls, and in a third lot with a good quality of cow pea hay. The following winter (1908-09) the same comparison was again made as regards Lots 1 and 2, while in a third lot cottonseed was used and in a fourth lot some damaged mixed hay was used to supplement the range. AMOUNT OF WINT7EJt FEEDS TABLE 2. Feeds used Winter 1907'-'08 (84 days). Daily amount feed consumed per steer Total amount consumed per steer ali RATION 00 ua) Q a UaQ b Lbs. 1 Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. No e 26 .29 Range alone ..................... None None None 2 3 Range plus half ration cottonseed m.al and hulls......... Range plus p ea h ayN half .1 12 24 ration cow) one7. 4 None.8 . 5 Feeds. used Winter 1908-'09-(98 days). 1 25 Range alone ... ............... None None None None .7 2 5 Range plus 'half ration cotton2 5 seed meal and hulls 3 25 Range plus half ration cotton Range plus mixed hay ............... 23 85 236.54..418.7 2.1 462 . _ 826 ... ..... 4.1 4* 25 11.8 *This lot was There was secured from the -no fed only 70 days-January 1st to March 12th. way. to determine how. much feed was range as far as pounds were concerned. Each steer had ten acres as winter. range. The steers. in Lot 1, the range lot, had to be turned out upon the general range each winter about a monthl before 'the end of the test, as their range ten acres each had become exhausted. of feecils. Nil e receivin;; sipJoleiivii I ar er I hiring the( first Nvinter eacih steer in Lot1 2 conisumedti, ini 19 houinds ofi cottoinseedl niota a nd 714 addliition Ii to tii laouflui of hul~ls, whlile (eilh steer the secondii w itev :ate 236( wich i~ials Nve(re fedl fourtiten dlays liatwti tantiIhex 1I911M'09 the ma xx ete ini thle Nxiii Ier of 1907-'08. Each steer's daily ration iiijis -iipound of ittontisieed hue a mid xx as kl 1 it :a litleI 1wh Isuii s t h into l nt e th te r nll : e e :s.i see'2.hdmal plusc p0 oms. r uU9. Totl w-ot 0f ii st/. of,,,eachtem, 3 Total cast of teri orb.4eer, $5. 63. g ea'cht the lritu-li lie xxii er ont ctonusctI as a sut 1 1 ,liiiito insee Joelr II xx s ieariteil tiat 4.71 Fundiits of aot 1a:111i. as not iliiite sufficient to keels the :ailltis steer 10r la}. xx wei-1t I~aili sie r lai -It) Itaaiutis inix friomi liisiij.~ xii!,la. idurinig the xxinitir pieriodt iof 9S days. " the first xxiniter's wxork it is seei lm ,a.5) jaiiiil of lI "eeris gotii loe:x ne iax, satloing' xxit Ii t iaiiq.; afforilti thes 190 11 x1 are _tt a nid Mr xhien Iol uniifiorm xx i dit . (v compi~aied, it is seen Wwt 714 pouds of ttixxl ea luax xxere xvaluie to 197 1iiiinils of tot toipiractically tiluial ini fttiii 42 seed meal plus 714 pounds of cottonseed hulls. In other words, the cowpea hay was worth $13.02 per ton for wintering mature cattle compared with cottonseed meal and hulls, when the meal is valued at $26.00 a ton and the hulls at $6.00 a ton. During the second winter (1908-'09) each steer in the cottonseed lot (Lot 3) lost about 42 pounds more in live weight than did the animals in the cottonseed meal and hulls lot (Lot 2) ; but still, when cottonseed is valued at $14.00 a ton it is probably cheaper than cottonseed meal and hulls for wintering steers. The daily expense of feeding each steer on cottonseed meal and hulls was 5.7 cents, while the daily cost of the cottonseed per steer was only 3.3 cents. While not enough cottonseed was used to prevent loss in weight, still the amount fed daily to each steer (4.71 pounds) would probably not have to be increased very much to make the steers hold their fall weights. It would require 8.2 pounds of cottonseed, at $14.00 a ton, to cost as much as the 2.41 pounds of cottonseed meal plus the 8.71 pounds of hulls which were fed to each steer daily in Lot 2. When this test was made cottonseed cost but $14.00 a ton. Since that time they have advanced about one hundred per cent in value, so that it would now be unwise to use cottonseed as a winter feed for steers. It should be remembered that these were mature steers, and that such steers are capable of making use of the rough waste feeds during the winter months. Cattle of this age can use feeds that would be entirely unsuited to young growing animals. In handling and feeding mature steers during the winter months the object should be to make use of all the rough feeds and unsalable hays before any high priced feeds, as cottonseed meal, are used. WINTER GAINS OF STEERS BY MONTHS. Every farmer has old corn and cotton fields which afford winter feeds for the cattle. A.s the winter advances the range usually affords a smaller and smaller amount of feed. The following table shows the gain of the various lots from month to month. From this the reader can gather some 43 some idea of when the heavy losses usually occur, and regulate the amount of supplementary feels accordingly. TABLE 3. Gains of Steers by Months 1907-08-(84 o. days). RATION GO Lbs. .Wo. V 40 Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. 1 2 Range alone.......................-4. Range plus half ration cottonsee and hulls ......... meal -38. 16. 1 -10. -55. -12. Range plus half ration peavine 1908-'09-(98 days.) Dec. 4 to Jan.l1 to Jan. 29 Feb. 26 to to Feb. 26 7. Jan. 1st Jan.29 Mch. 12 -16. 1 Range alone.......................-40.-43. Range plus half ration cottonseed 2 2 3 4 meal anc hulls 1 .. 8 2 . 2 Range plus half ration cottonseed 0 -16. -46. -23. - 22. 4. j Range plus half ration mixed hay.......-13. During each year's work those steers which received feed in, addition to the range*were started on a very. small daily allowance. This amount was increased every few days for 28 days, .when it was held uniform for the remainder of the winter. During the first winter's work the range cattle "(Lot 1) practically held their initial weight during the first 28 days. As time went on. and the range became shorter they lost more and more in weight. This is what should be expected. But the heaviest losses in 1908-'09 were. experienced at the early part of the winter. However this winter was an unusual' one. It was very rainy and muddy during the early months,, so that the cattle were very uncomfortable and could not graze well. During the last of the winter very little rain fell, spring set in early so as a mttIer of fact, the grasses put up early and thle 11i lge catl 110 ha soici green1 feedl during thle last moanthI in addition to the range. As stated elswwhere, all of these cattlec Cane thriouigh to sp~~ring in goiud grazing couralin the 11l were strong andii ac4tlive, althouiigh thei stiers in th rii' iiLi [it I 111:141 ,W falIleni in lie '.xejigili 100 pou off ;:l l lids ea 4±. Ii. I. HUH/I , in iu 114H c ri,,q ol o p 1 31 1Sel cc(, r lou.cc -40 poundHs._ oJ~, cach i stee, f m(4l/ steer, $3. 23. ra"! . Total(44 Total/ cost of FI NA\NCt IL 8 'SAENIlNT FOR WXINTERt WXORK. In the fall of 190)7 the steers icost $2.50 per hundiiredl w~eight, lint thle next fall, 19(15, feeders hail adx aillel some tfall price average $2.56; peri hundried in price, maio xxeii.lit. Thle fol1mvxiiii" spruing ciist w as of co4urse conidiirFirs[ all greateer 11l:111 thle fall picie for twoi rieasonls. x liimIi4ui fall, (ii' not as hawy as I hey- wepe te tlie cattle xx de4e11io in live flhe fall pri1ce. The fAl iost, plus thie111 41 the feed Iwa('deii rilcr co1st we ight, il Ith le cost o~f x inler inug talile. No. -1, show",x the4 .s41inpg' cost b l 441. Thi average c14sts wats taken as the initiail iost of the these spig st eers ini thle Sullnier feeding work wih foflliiwxed. Th'le leart ions lots, averagr cost of w interinrg eachl si eer in th of 45 together with the difference in value spring, are as follows: TABLE between. fall an] 4. Financial Stateient. 1907-'08. Lot 1. Range alone: To 722 lbs. steer at $2.50 per hundred wt. $18. 05 By value of same steer in spring, 625 lbs. :.......$18.05 at $2.89 per hundredweight ....... $18. 05-$18.05 Lot 2. Range plus cottonseed mealand hulls : To 726 lbs. steer at $2.50 per hundred wt. To 714 lbs. cottonseed hulls at To 194 lbs. cottonseed meal at $26.00 per ton By value steer in spring 720.5 lbs. at $2.89 per hundred weight................. By required increase in value over range :steer $6.,00 .$18.15 2.14 per;ton 2.56 $20.82 2.03 $22.85-$22.85 weight Lot 3.- to break even, 28c per hundred- ................ Range plus peavine hay: To 724 lbs. steer at $2.50 per hundred wt.$18.lO To 714 lbs. peavine hay at $10.00 per ton 3.57 By value steer in spring, 715 lbs. at $2.89 per hundred weight By required increase in value over range steer to break even, %14c per'hundredweight ...................................... 1908-'09 .................. . $20.65 1.02 $21. 67-$21 .67 Lot 1. Range alone: To 705 lbs. steer at $2.56 per hundred wt. $18.05 By value same steer in sprin'g, 599. lbs. at $3.01 per hundredweight.............$80 Lot 2. Range plus cottonseed meal $80 To 705 lbs. steer at $2.56 To 854 lbs. cottonseed hulls at $6.00 per ton and per hundred wt. $18.05 hulls: $18.-05-$18.05 2.56 3.07 To 236 lbs. cottonseed meal at- $26..00 per ton By value steer in spring, 708 lbs. at $3.01 per hundredweight.................. By required increase in value over range steer to break even, 33c per hundredweight $21.31 2.37 $23. 68-$23 .68 Lot 3. Range plus cottonseed: To 706 lbs. steer at $2.56 per hundred wt. $18.09 To 462 lbs. cottonseed at $14.00 per ton . 3.23 By value steer in spring, 666 lbs. at $3.01 per hundredweight..................... By requiredl increase in value over range steer to breaK even, 19c per hundredweight................................. Range plus cheap hay: To 703 lbs. steer at $2.56 per hundred wt. $18.00 To 826 lbs. waste lay at $5~.00 per ton . . 2.06 By value steer in spring, 649 lbs. at $3.01 per hundredweight..................... By required increase in value over range steer to break even, 8c per hundredweight................................. $20.05 1.26 $21.31-$21.31 Lot 4. $19.53 .53 $20.06-$20.06 l~ LOT 41.- l .,l 1 t " "O' r 1: wJ. . Wnter gut of etuch .steer. K.. h ' ~, -40 poemd". /' 0f', l 1N T'otal cost of winterinig each steer, $2.06. Thle 1W.11 (ost to \',inter eachi steer in 1907-'08 was $4.70 and $3.-57 ini Lots 2 and 3 restiv~ely. the range has no lprice Idlaced iuon it, a lthiough thle results~ show that it has a very great value. The total cost to winter each steer in 1908-'09) was $.68(, 98.28 and $2.06 in Lots 2. 3 and1 4 respectivel v. After the cost of wintering the cat tie and the winter shrinkage were added to the fall buying price the spring cost was obtained. The spring costs in Tots 1, 2, and 3 in 47 were $2.89, $3.17 and X3.03 per hundred weight respectively. In 1908-'09 the spring costs were $3.01, $3.34, .43.20, and $3.09 er hundred weight in 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively. It is seen that the cheap coarse feeds produced about as :good results as the high priced feeds, and at the same time the steers were carried through the winter'much more economically with the cheap than with the expensive feeds. It will always pay to make use of the coarse or cheap winter feeds for the mature steers and save the high-priced feeds for the young animal4 of the farm. It is well known that the effects of feeding mature cattle through the winter months continue throughout the following grazing season. Those mature cattle which.makethe most gain through the winter may be expected to make the smallest gains the following summer. This has been found to be true in this work, but a detailed presentation of this point will be found in later publications. 1907-'08 Lots TABLE 5. Total Summary of 197-08-84 days S Winter Work. 1908-09-98 days aab a k09 Sa Average weight of steers at begin722.lbs. 7261bs. 7241bs. -9. nling of test .. Total gais' per steer for whole winter 705 lbs. 705 lbs. 7061bs. 689 lbs 4.ls 4.ls -97. lbs -6. lbs. lbs. -106 lbs. 3 b.-0 .b.-0 lbs. .03 b b an al Avrg Aperagtedaily..gain. lbs. 1.15 lbs. -.07 lbs. -11 lbs. -1.08 lbs. -. 4 lbs. -.57 Concentrates per day con-) sumed per steer---------2.351bs----------------.. 2.41 lbs. 4.71 lbs..... ....... Roughage con... .bs85ls8per $3.57--------$5.63 $20 $.0 $3.03 smdprser day......... Average expense) to winter each--------$4.70 steer .......... [nitial, or fall cost of steers per cwt. Total cost per cwt $3.23 $.6 25 --$3.20 $2.06 $.6 25 $3.0 $25 $.0 $2.89 $25 $.0 $3.1 $26 $.5 -$3.0 $.6 25 $33 in spring steers I 8 I ""3 3 48 PART II. Fattening Cattle on Pasture. INTRODUCTION. As a rule the ordinary permanent pasture in Alabama can be depended upon to furnish grazing from about April 1 to some time in October.- The frosts usually kill the pastures in October. By making use of winter growing plants, such a's burr clover, the grazing season can be opened about February 1 and sometimes even earlier. A common mistake is to overstock the pastures. When this is done the grass often becomes short in August and September, and the cattle actually lose in weight instead of making a gain. The South often experiences a drought in August and September, therefore the farmer should have no more cattle on hand than can be well cared for during the grazing period. The pastures used in this test, as stated before, were made up of several kinds ,of grasses. No one kind of plant was depended upon entirely. Johnson grass, Japan clover, and Melilotus were the most important grazing plants used. In addition to these some bermuda and crab gra's3 were also found. If the pastures are to be improved each year, and the grazing season extended over as many months as possible, several plants must be made use of. The' cattle used in the summer feeding work were the same ones as had been used in the preceding winter's experimental work. When grass appeared in the spring the winter work was discontinued, the cattle redivided into lots, and the summer feeding work was begun immediately. Some steers, which had not been in the winter experiment, were added to the summer work. These extra steers had been fed nothing through the winter months except what they obtained on the open range. They were of the same quality as the steers which had been used in the winter tests. All of these cattle had been dehorned the previous fall. 49 DETAILS OF THE EXPERIMENT. GAINS DURING THE SUMMER FEEDING. The gains as recorded in the following table will show that the pastures used were good ones. It should be remembered, too,: that as a result of feeding upon these pastures they are getting better and better as time goes on. The following table sets forth, in a tabulated form, the total and daily gains of the steers for the summers of 1908 and 1909: TABLE 6. Total and Daily Gains During the Pasture Feeding Test. 1908- (112 days). o RATION c">v Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. A B C D 26 26 26 54 Pasture alone .................... Pasture plus cottonseed cake.... Pasture plus "Caddo" cake .... Pasture plus cottonseed cake..... 732 739 738 532 902 999 944 713 170 260 206 181 1.52 2.32 1.84 1.62 1909 A 40 (154 days). 647 915 268 1.74 Pasture alone .................... B E 75 25 Pasture plus cottonseed cake.... Pasture plus cottonseed .... 639 653 929 970 290 317 1 88 2.06 *The cattle in Lot D were not of the same grade as those in Lots A, B, and C, so really Lot D can not be compared with the other lots. Lot D was made up of a bunch of mixed cattle with no special breeding, and ranging from two to five years in age. The object in handling this bunch was to see if money could be made on such cattle. They had not been dehorned. It is seen that, in every case, those cattle that received some supplementary feed gained more rapidly than those which received no feed but pasture. Of couroe, the more rapid a steer gains the quicker he can be gotten in shape for the market, and this is a very important point, as the cauil h I'l steer does not tome inito comipet itijun Nvitl the fall .st uff tiat is being brouglt into thle miarket off rass. As far as gains w~ere conrnied, the cattle laid reasonably Well both Nears. 'IheN' Were not g;razed throttgh the whole season, so the total gaIins, as repiresented in the sUnltm'rA Ninth ciolumnl do not relrreselit as great ga:ins as tan he made "r~i/ i i seasoni. In 190'0 they wxere during :a wh ole :nttrii gr"azed on ly 112 la vs. and in 1909 thle test conltinued for 151 dai~s. The hest potion of' thle grazing season had be U usedl hioxexer, a; thle tattle werte sold from the first of In bot veat's th w t tle wh icth rece ived cot toniseedl cake a il/ !/ria raj each/ s/et of gam,. $1.18. 1,:ist tie i* 1.5a2 piounids. Costt of 100 pounds Toital profit per steer, $2.86. tattle. In 108 the difference ini favor of the tattle wxhich Marol Veen fed was xerv miarkeud, bitt in 19110 1le diiflerIn enite between the iwo lots was not veryv pronounced~i. 190!), 1.ol E Ihie cott oiseed lot. tide lie miost sat isfatrlory ponswhl gaitis. it ntakinii a averaige daily ~;in of . 11laiid A miade average fdair gwins of 1.188 and 1 .74 pounds reshectiv°lY. FEEDiS CONSI MEDt Thle tat tle wxere fed but onice o dad'; Ihis was done eath afternoon aliott suniriox i,. or ini the cool of the eveniing, in order thiat the steers wotu~l all comie out to 1le feed Itroughs. The steer's wee ;tarted up1o1 a smuall amnountt Of feed, and as they b~ecame acculstomaed to1 it the amnount Nvas gradually inceasedl. Tle Iiolilow inlg tables will shuoe that the concen- trates wvere fed sptain gly- all through thle teats. Thle followinug tabule (able 7), show s thle total amount of concentllrates fed eaech steer for each year, the average dai!N, feed, and lhe amnonnt of Coneit rates required to make (110 hi undured I olnuds of !gain TABU 7IL Iv . - yI/s C'onsuauv ON 190~ -112° - 'o days). E c 0 - - 0 7 I b+. Lbs. Lbs. A B C 1) 26 26 26 53 Pasture alone .......................................... Pastur e plus cottonseed calve Pasture plus "Caddo' cake .. 371 371 309 331 143. 3.31 2.76 180. 171. Past, re pius cothtnseed cake .. 19119 -1 1.54 days). . . . .. . . . .. . . . . 21 3.40 181 218 A 11 80) P astur e 71 2i alone . . . . . . . . . is Pasture p1 cottusee" eak(. . E Pasture plus cotton seed ..... 4.49 w- -U-4 n Owlrr' 1 Uti lVcd, coftow c~ed cake amad pai.s ae. 9 lAt A1 received iio feed in add itilon to thle past ure as one -oiii(I jiitx to sutppl ementt the iwhex teher it N (obj ect was to learn of 1908 ~tlthe tltsummerl pasture «xitli a concetate. Din chl steer in Lot It wxas given d:ii :3.:31 Bounds(1 of cot tonseed cake ini addition to th l pstire: in l9(li each steer ini this lot Avas feid 3.4 lpounds of theo cake per div ini addit ion to the pastutre. lit 1I0 "C~'addo" cake was used in oie lot te so thIiat its Valu as a( feed couild be comipjared to cttonseed cake. The steer; in Lot 1 ) in 1911 (thlese wvere a mii xed bunch of steers anid catinot he comipateud directly- to the other t hree hits). oh1 aicountt if heitig smtaller thiani the oties ini the etc il otdx 2".76 pioundis of cot toniseed cake 1wr (i ote hits, Nver Ini 1909 cotl onseed was fedl to Lit E. head per da.1N. ~LT B.- er Ed of saa,,a 1110;. Fi id, Callous 'ed ((ake (d pos.r. A verage (10aity gai a of each steer 2.32 pou ads. Cost of 100 pouwlas of gain ... $2.5 10.42 i............ Total profit per stem as toniseed cake xx mote iffiiienit t han thle 'a ddo rake for ounzds of cottonseed cake nwktling gains. lIn PHIiS otilv 11 p8 were reiquireid to tii~ils io hlotred littlils rain. while 180 biotii: iif thui ( 'aihli' cake Nvere requirted to ttiake the samve nuitbiet of liitttiis lini. Lot It catitut lie ciitmpareid to Lots did niit cost as It is trtue t hat the "('di'cake 13 andl C . muhas did the cot toinseed1 (lke. but it wxill lie seen later, when thle cost if thle feeds are taken in toi cons~idera tion, that lie cot toniseeilcake wsthe mtore eiioniimiicatl feed tio use. fTni1vr thle cotiditiotis iif Ihis test ti poun~iid of cot tonseed cake was equal, in feeditig valuie, to 1 .28 hound; of "C'addo" cake. During the summer of 1909J a direct comparison was made betw een cottonseed cake and cottonseed as feeds to be used to supplenment pastures. Under the conditions of this test one pound of cake juioved to be equal to 1.21 pounds of the seed. Thre seed prov ed to have anr exceeinigly high feeding value when uised as a feed to supiplemienit thle pastures. The steers in Lot 1) were a bunch of mnixed scrubs varying from one to five years in age. There was v ery little improved blood amiong these cattle. They wxere not dehorned so heyx wxere alwxax s restless at the feed trough, as the timid ones were afraid of the steers with long sharp horns. This lot wxas fed as a side issue to the main expeimienti to determiine whtaher a profit could he made up~onl this class of cal e. LOT C. Fiddle of sii ur 11t108. Feed, "Cadd -o" cake aad pasture. Average daily gain of each steer 1.84 pounds. $3.03 Cost of 100 ponds of gain .... 6.62 Total profit per steer ............ There wx s no xway, of course, to determine just how much pasture gras~s xvas consumed, except as to the area mueasurecd off for each lot. But it is interesting to note that the amount of conicen trnted feeds requi red to mjake 100 pounds increase in live weight was exceedingly shall. This was due to at least 1txwo fartors. First. the steers hind a green feed Second, the to go along with the concentrated feeds. amount of conlcentrated feeds fed daily wxas held dowxn to only a few poumds, thus requiring the steers to obtain the ajor part of their feed from the pasture. Where lands re chien]p lasi are is cheaper than 1the too liberal use of conIt is impossible. at the present time, to ornted feeds. ,1 hher thie armamI r fed in I hi(s teists were the correct 54 ones. or not. It is hoped that some light'may be thrown upon this point during the progress of the work. COST OF SUMMER GAINS. It is always unsatisfactory to. discuss the cost of gains as it depends largely upon the cost of the feeds, the cost of which varies greatly under different conditions. fin this discussion the price placed upon the feeds is the actual market quotations plus the expense ,of 'hauling them from the depot to the farm. The hauling distance was miles. Pasture is charged at fifty cents per month per steer; this is the prevailing price placed upon pasture throughout the western part of -Alabama. fourteen TABLE 8. Cost to Make 100 Pounds 1908-(112 days). of Gain. RATIONS P a o .. a A B C Pasture alone......... ......... ..... ...... ... V V1 . .. .$1.18 2.56 3.03 Pasture pilus cottonseed cake.......... 143 Pasture plus "Caddo" cake........... $1.79 2.07 180' 171 D Pasture plus cottonseed cake......... 2.14 . 3.24 1909-(154 days). A. B Pasture alone............. ........... Pasture plus cottonseed cake.... Pasture plus cottonseed.............. ........ 181 218 ....... $2.26 $1.0 3 3.21 2.39 El *P1.ice of feeds : Cottonseed cake............. "Caddo" cake.........:... 23.00 per ton Cottonseed ....... ........ 14.00 per toni Pasture...........50 per mon 1.53' $25.00 per ton In ev'erx case above, the cos.t to) miako on~e hundred pounds. increase in live weight was verxy low. W\lien si eers are fateach bouind of gain is p)ut on tened during the wxinter tit at a loss, as each bound1 put on mray h~e expected to cost froint S to 12 cents; and the profit is dependent upon the enhancemnti of the value of lie steer over and above the In these tesls eachi selling v aluie of pounds of gain made~l. pouiid put on duing the fat telling period was pu on at a p rofit :.very unusual occurrenice in fattening beef catl1w. T'hese chea p finishing gains moade tie feeding operations Coio)paralix cl} safe as far as profits wxere co)iiccned. As due to twxo factors: slated belorvc. thleme cheap, ga ins we re, ls Flirst,. the cattle had a cheap :irnd succlenitrogae o ,i , pas0 i Wil 190,'. (,t~1,c ' t d, (~ee 1. (fu0m. rou ha andh e; 4 (I aqge dIail/ g1ai0 of each11steer 1 .62 po100(12. $3.24 Cost of 100 ))otl0?s of griw .. 43 Total porofit per steer .............. 'econid, ihe aniorint of conlcenitrfled feeds used xvas 2.71; to dowvn to a coiiilarat ive(l siuall tiglre: frii kept 4 .4 ; poiids (of (011(11a21 p(iond of cotItoniseed cike :Id seed wxere fed to each steer dailx. At the Mlissorii slat ion 1 BitlleI ii 7i) (lie averagYeof the somrer vrials show that R74 I ore. pounrds of gratin xwere requi red to produce one hiuindred p ounds oif gain. while in the Alabanma lest on1y 143 to1 21S~ p(ound(s of concent rate were reqired to ma::ke the s oe ga ins. At Missouri the steers wxere giv en ain a Ilroxinia te daily feed of 20 bounds (if grain in additicln to tlie pasture. Whl ie the Mdissouiri ca ttle were fed a iii 11(1 heavier grin rat ion than thle Alabamna cattle, still the records of this test sh ow thle Ahiba rn cattle to have mrade almost as large da il ga i s as diid thle Mlissouri s1 eers. Wh len Lots B arid C(PIS :i5 comipared it is seen that re thle cott onseed cake is superior to lie1 0 -addo-' cake, as one liiiriilreil poundsl of Iicrease in weight w,_,r made at a cost of $".:)G whien thie cotton seed calke wxas used, whereas when Iheciaaddo cakve wxas tiid the samoe ga i cost $.3. When the cottonseed cake selIs at $23.00) a ton the "Caddo"' cake is not worthI $23.00I a ton: wxhen cottIonseed cake sells at $25.0;) ar Ion Irlis lest shoes lihe 'I 'ddo'' cark to lie xx Iionlx nrtl .$20I.54 :i tori. I'j Average daily gaini of each steer 1.74 pounds. Costs of 100 p~ounds of gain... $1.03 Tfoa profit per steer .............. 06 The coririrori or urriledl lrrchi of carttle( Loth)) make a very poor shroxx ir!_ x len comrerrdl xw Lots B and C, although, itli as wxill lie seen later, fi re steers in fAot I) returned a small p~rofit. In coripa orig~ Lots B anrd ; 100) it is setn that the prohduicedl gin rs inre renplx tha n did thre eottonseed cake that i., wxhetn the cottonseed is valued at cottonIseedl 57 (14.00 a ton and the cake at $25.00 a ton. cake is valued at $25.00 a ton this test shows the cottonseed be worth $20.73 a ton for fattening ca 'tie on pasture. Cottonseed had this disadvantage however: during the latter part of the feeding period they were not relished as much as the cottonseed cake, and some trouble was experienced in keeping the steers "on feed." There was trouble from -scours when the seed were fed in the above amounts. weed to When cotton- no FINANCIAL RESULTS OF SUMMER FEEDING. Although those cattle which received pasture alone made cheaper gains than the ones which received some feeds in addition to the pasture, it must not be inferred that the grass cattle were the most profitable ones; the cost of the gains alone does not determine the final profits. While it is desirable to make the gains as cheaply as possible, still the selling price of the cattle at the end of the feeding period must also be taken into consideration before the final profit can be determind. TABLE. 9. Lot Financial Statment. 1908. A.* Pasture alone: To 26 steers, 19031 lbs. at $2.92 per cwt., $555..71 To pasture at 50c a month per steer 52.00 To freight, commission, feed and 94.12 yardage............. .............. Total expenditures._............. By sale of 26 steers at $3.66 per cwt. $701.83 $716.29 Lot Total profit on lot.......$74.46 2'.86 Profitper steer................ B. Pasture plus cottonseed cake: To 26 steers, 19199 lbs. at $2.92 per cwt. $560.61 To pasture at 50c a month per steer., 52.00 To 9646 lbs. of cottonseed cake at $25.00 per ton..............120.57 94.12 To freight, commission, feed and yardage Tiotal expenditures ............. $827.30 By sale of 26 steers, 24245 lbs at $4.53 per cwt......................... $1098.30 Total profits on lot........... $271 .00 Profit per steer...............10.42 58 Lot C. Pasture plus cake: To 26 steers, 19176 lbs. at $2.92 per cwt. $559.94 To pasture at 50c a monthn per steer 52.00 To 9646 lbs. of "Caddo" cake at $23.00 per ton..........................110.93 To freight, commission, feed and yardage 94.12 Total expenditures.$816.99 By sale of 26 steers, 22740 lbs. at $4.35 per cwt............................ "Caddo" $989.19 Lot Total profit on lot.....:.......$172.20 Profit per steer.................6.62 D. Pasture plus cottonseed cake: To 54 steers, 28754 lbs. at $2.50 per cwt. $718.85 To pasture at 50c a month per steer 108.00 To 16686 lbs. of cottonseed cake at $25.00 per ton ............... :............208.57 To freight, commission, feed and yardage 195.48 Total expenditures............$1230.90 By sale of 54 steers, 36450 lbs. at $3.44 per cwt... $1253.8 Total profit on lot ............ $22.98 Profit per steer .................. 43 1909. Lot A. Pasture alone: To 40 steers, 25879 lbs. at $2.95 per cwt. $763.43 To pasture at 50c a month per steer . 110.00 To freight, commission,feed and yardage 144.80 Total expenditures ............ $1018.23 By sale of 40 steers, 34314 lbs. at $3.79 per cwt..................$1300.50 Total profit on lot.......$282.27 Profit per steer................. 7.06 Lot B. Pasture plus cottonseed. cake:. To 75 steers, 47916 lbs. at $2.9.5 per cwt.$1413.52 To pasture at 50c a month per steer 206.25 To 39925 lbs. of cottonseed cake at $25.00 per ton...........,........ 491.56 To freight, commission, feed and yardage 271.50 Total expenditures ............ $2382.83 By sale of 75' steers, 66514 lbs. at $4.37 per cwt. ......................... $2006. 6 Total- profit on lot........... $523.9.3 Profit per steer.............. 6.9 59 Lot E. Pasture plus cottonseed: To 25 steers, 16328 lbs. at $2.95 per cwt. $481.68 To pasture at 50c a month per steer 68.75 To 17265 lbs. of cottonseed at $14.00 per ton ........................... 120.85 To freight, commission, feed and yardage 90.50 Total expenditures .......... .$761.78 $971.46 By 25 steers, 22858 lbs. at$4.25 per cwt. Total profit on lot .............. $209.68 Profit per steer ................ 8.39 It should be noted that the total profits shown above are based on estimates after pasture rent, freight, commissions, feed and yardage are taken from the total sales. In 1908 it cost $3.85 per head to get the steers to the New Orleans market and in 1909 the expense was $3.62 per head. These cattle were shipped from western Alabama to New Orleans, a distance of about 500 miles; many farmers in the South are not required to ship their cattle this distance. In 1908 the greatest profits were realized upon Lot B, the lot which received cottonseed cake in addition to the pasture; in this lot a net profit of $10.42 per steer was made. Lot C, the "Caddo" fed lot, returned a net profit of $6.62, per steer. The pasture lot, Lot A, made a profit of only $2.86 per steer. It paid to feed the cattle some feed in addition to the pasture, because when they were offered for sale those steers which had been fed the concentrated feeds were in much better condition than those that received pasture only, and consequently sold for more money per hundred weight. The grass cattle sold for $3.66 per hundred weight, the cottonseed cake cattle for $4.53 per hundred weight, and the "Caddo" cattle for $4.35 per hundred weight. The above represent the New Orleans prices. It cost about 60 cents per hundred weight, including shrinkage, to ship the steers to New Orleans. (if In 1 909 4Inie was not "Itchi a iiiaikid (fittceice ini favor the lts whichl rceivedI 1ti>i ini adition toi th Ile Josturie. In tact, t he pasturie lot, Lot A, and thle cottoniseed cake lot, iig; a net iiofit o *Oi. :gip per dt er and th e latter a net profit Brit thle cot tonisieed fedl loit Loti E. was dieijl Imiioie pirofitalte thtan eitlher iof the otlier lots, it miing a net protit of' $8.43 pet steer. The profti s in every case werei ex ceci!,: Sa~t t isfactory. ofi $.9~9 per steert. lIn exlt 111S it prioved to he eceledinigly priotitatfle to suppilepro~itt t aa ImXd ::isi I Iesel a oftI ls e nse o f tIlie i tlton- Aveurage dily gof och stcc r 1.06 pounds. Cost of 100. pounds of gain ....... $3.21 Total profit per steer ............ 6.99 sr-eli caki, tint whelon cottioiseedl wXas tel atlog wXithI the postuire the profiits wer }reaglert( thlaii X litt tasitiuc wXas usedl altone. The idata so fat- cotlicted XX itiatt thte stateimeuit t hat it pays toi suihiplemient iini Sotithiein pltuies wXith a (illiletit iauid feed wX len tat tle 11e iiing tfinishied ftor the fall mtarket . additi onal expeieintal Avork XXilI d.etermnine whla t icocetratid feedls cani lie tiseid to the greatest advantage. 61 SLAUGHTER RESULTS. The cattle were shipped to New Orleans for sale and :Jaughtered, where complete individual slaughter records were secured. The authors have presented only a part of the slaughter records in the following table; the point will be discussed more fully in a subsequent publication. Slaughter Data. TABLE 10. 1908. RATION . Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Per ct. A B C D Pasture alone ................... Pasture plus cottonseed cake ..... Pasture plus "Caddo" cake ...... Pasture plus cottonseed cake ..... 902 999 944 724 816 932 874 686 86 66 70 38 49.5 53.8 53.6 52.7 1909. A B E Pasture alone...................... Pasture plus cottonseed cake ..... Pasture plus cottonseed ...... 916 941 1001 859 899 946 57 42 55 51.8 54.2 53.9 It is seen by the above table that the steers which were given some feed in addition to the pasture suffered less loss in live weight in transit than did the ones which had nothing to eat but pasture. In 1908 each pasture steer (Lot A) lost 86 pounds in transit, while those which had been fed some concentrated feeds lost from 38 to 70 pounds each. The common cattle, Lot D, suffered a very small shrinkage which was due, in part, to their being smaller steers than the other cattle. The cattle did not shrink as much in 1909 as in 1908, but in 1909 the grass cattle lost considerably more w~eight in transit t Ihan did t hose that had been fed. In both years the steers which had bee n fed the cottonseed p~roducts dressed out several per cent higher than the grass cattle. In 1908 the grass cattle dressed out 49.05 per lot dressed out 51.8 per cent. The cent ; in 1909 a siilar ca1tt le whichl had been giv en some concent rated feeds along with the pastuore dressed around 54 1wr cent. It should be noted that the last olumnII is b~ased on the farm wveights of the cattle. If the -New Orleans lix e wveights wxere I akeni it -xoul d raise thle figures in the last columni i fromt 2 to 2.5 hnifis in each ease. 1,-i 1: 1909. Ieed, cottonseeCd and1 pastur~e. of snfer Ed Avcerage daily gain of each steer 2.06 poumis. $2.39 Cost of 100 poonds of gain ....... 8.39 Total profit per steer .............. 63 TABLE 11. Complete Summary 1907-'8 w~~~ of Summer Feeding. 1908-'9 010-s 0a44QQ0 00 aavaavvauu Average weight each steer at beginning test............ Average daily gain per steer......... Average amount concentrates consumed per steer per day ............. J Average amount 732 738 738 532 647 639 653 1.51 2.32 1.84 1 62 1.74 1.88 2.06 .......... 1.3.31 143 3.31 2.76 3.40 4.49 centrates con- to make 180 171 181 218 100 pounds gain Cost 100 pounds gain, pasture charged.. 1.18 1$2.561$3.03 $3.24 2.92 2.92 2.92 2.50 $1.03 $3.21 $2.39 2.95 Initial cost of steers per 100 pounds.... 2.9512.95 Selling price (N. 0 .)) of steers per 100 pounds ......... Total profit per steer. 3.66 4.53 4.35 3.44 3.79 4.37+ 4.25 I 2.86 10.42 6.62 .43 I I I .0616.998.39