Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-30
Public Opinion on Iowa Subjects
as Reflected in the Iowa
Newspapers.
The News of Iowa From Hun.
dreds Of Different Towns
and Communities.
FEEDING ON COB MEAL.
lTraer Star-Clipper.l

llTaer SStaT-Cllpper.J
| am prompted to write this article
by the many letters / have received
asking how / fed a certain three load
bunch of cattle recently in Chicago
that made the gain of 245 pounds pei
head from home weights to Chicago
weights in eight weeks. Having fec
cattle more or less all my life, some
times at a profit, many times at a COR
responding loss, never realizing what
thought was sufficient gain in weight
by the old method, | determined TO Sc
cure better results or stop feeding.
The first change found necessary to
make was in the waste product of the
feed yard: altho I always had two or
more shoates per steer, still close in
spection told me that l was losing
much valuable feed In order to over
come this difficulty it was necessary to
prepare the feed in a different form.
first tried shelled corn, then soaked
corn, but with little better results when
pounds of feed and pounds of gain We're
considered.
About this time came the dry sea-
son of '94, and with it short corn crop
and high prices. Knowing something
about cotton meal product as feed,
two of us, j. c. Huey and myself. de-
termined to try it. We had everything
to learn regarding this feed. as we We're
pioneers, and no one could tell US how
We began slowly, testing and weigh
ing, until we We're satisfied the feed
was good. Since that time | have all
ways feed some rich food in protein
to balance the corn ration and make
feed that is easily digested. and
feed that will make a steer take on
flesh all over his body and not fat in
patches. l found, however must go
still further, Prof. Henry notwith-
standing. The offal still told of
heavy waste. To overcome this, I de-
termined to grind my feed in order
to better mix the ration. Since begin
ming to grind have never once
thought of changing. My first trial
was success. my second more of one
until now i would say, that a man Civ
en- good straight well-bred cattle, can
do as much with them in ninety days
with ground feed and balanced ra-
ton as the same man can do in 1875
Gays on ear corn alone.
Now with regard to these three loads
just sold. They We're mostly good
grades bought in Kansas City yards
about Sept. 10. I bought them of n
dealer in neighboring town ten miles
away. They weighed 1,040 pounds on
his scales Sept. Ii. and We're driven to
feed yard same day. They received
their first feed on the evening of Sept
16. On Monday, eight weeks from this
time, sold the cattle in Chicago
Weighing 1885 pounds, thus making a
gain from feed yard to Chicago of 245
pounds in fifty-six days.
They were started on cob meal,
ground fine, ten pounds to one pound of
cotton meal. This was gradually in
creased for four weeks when they were
on full feed. eating twenty-four pounds
cob meal and four pounds cotton meal.
The ration was continued for the next
month, twenty-eight pounds of mixture
being all that weight steer can eat for
my length of time without waste. or
getting off his feed" For roughness
hey had corn fodder. corn and all, and |
imothy and clover hay. When once
IN feed they will eat about six pounds
If hay per day and two or three stalks
If fodder, fresh every day. The cattle |
we're led their grain ration morning |
md night, at regular hours. Salt was
before them at all times, also plenty of
rood fresh water.
This is, of course, heavier gain
han usual, but since I began to grind
do not remember of making less than
hree bounds per day on any bunch
AVE fed. summer or winter. The cost
# grinding, counting interest on plant
ull repairs, such as new burrs. break
Lges, etc, is about two cents per bu-
hel ear corn, and one cent shelled
Sou save on an average one year with
mother about twenty per cent of grain.
base by judgment for this statement
ntirely upon the number of cattle I t
an turn off now from a given amount
f corn, and what is used to take the
Id way.
A. L. AMES.
Buckingham. la.