Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-01-05


test the value of several different
methods of preparing feed for steers
where. on account of cholera, hogs
could not be used to follow and save
the droppings. The steers were di-
V1ded into four lots Of twenty each.
Lot one was fed shelled corn and whole
alfalfa hay, lot two she1led corn and
a1alTa hay cut in inch lengths. lot
three corn-meal and whole alfalfa hay
and lot four corn-meal and alfalfa hay
cut in inch lengths With all lots the
nay was thrown in the bottom of the
grain boxes, the grain placed upon the
hay and the two carefully mixed. Salt
and water were kept before the steers
all the time.
The average weight of the eighty
head at the beginning of the expert
ment was 1,036 pounds per steer. The
steers were fed 116 days and were then
ready for market, averaging 1907
pounds each, an average gain of 271
pounds each or an average daily gain
OF 2-34 pounds per steer.
The steers required an average TAT
pounds of grain and 1856 pounds of hay
for each 100 pounds of gain This is
much below the average amount OF
feed required to make 100 pounds of
gain.
The steers ate an average each of
1914 pounds of grain a day. This is a
low amount of feed for the gain made
The gains for the whole feeding Pc
riod are as follows:
Gain per steer.
Shelled corn, whole hay. 1862 lbs.
Shelled corn, cut hay. PSF lbs
Corn-meal, whole hay. .. .273 lbs.
Corn-meal, cut hay. -293 lbs.
Average gain of steers fed shelled
corn, $50 pounds each. Average gain
of steers fed corn-meal, 2S3 pounds
each. This shows a gain of S.8 per
cent from grinding. The steers fed
shel1ed corn required an average of 7S0
pounds of grain to make 100 pounds of
gain while those fed corn-meal re-
quired an average of 71S pounds OF
grain for 100 pounds of gain.
But little was saved in cutting the
hay, the average gain of the steers
fed whole hay being 286 pounds each
and those fed hay cut 275 pounds
each, gain of 2.6 per cent from cut
ting.
There is a shortage of both grain
and roughage in Kansas this year and
every feeder should get the most pos
sible out of his feed. One experiment
does not settle any question in feed
ing but may indicate what is probable
The results obtained IN this expert
ment seem to indicate that feeders can
get considerably more gains from their
feed by mixing the grain and hay, as
considerably less than the usual
amount of grain was required in this
feeding to make 100 pounds of gain
Our explanation is that where grain
nf iC nt hrO1
back to the mouth again while if the
grain is mixed with hay all of it gets
the benefit of thorough mastication in
the cud- There is less difficulty from
securing where grain and hay are fed
together
The steers were sent to Armour
Packing Company, Kansas City, for
slaughter test and their report is as
follows: 1.-The cattle dressed out 593
per cent of live weight, the yield of
fat 81 per cent. The carcasses cut
bright, were of good color on the out
side and made good, clean, bright
looking, well-covered beef. Our buy
ers consider that ground corn and al
falfa is the best feed for cattle"
The eighty head made an average
gain of rs pounds for each bushel of
food eaten and ate 2S.S pounds of hay
with each bushel of grain.
The gain from the different methods
of feeding was as follows:
Gain per bushel
of grain (56 pounds)
Shelled corn, whole hay. ii lbs.
Shelied corn, cut hay. ....7.2 lbs.
Corn-meal, whole hay. ...7.4 lbs.
COrn-meai, cut hay. 80 lbs.
The Good Effects 3 Creamery.
In a summary of the points in favor
of the creamery system, the United
States Department of Agriculture gives
the following:
.tFirst-The quality of the whole
factory product is equal to or better
than the best of the single dairies in
the same community.
.'Second-A greater quantity of but
fer produead from the sauna couus