Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-10-24
THE OTTUMWA COURIER.

Corn and grass ........ 2.49 1920
Cotton seed meal and
wheat straw. .......... .2.3S 1854
Early this spring a bulletin was re-
eeived from the Illinois station show
ing what had been accomplished with
supplementary feeds with corn. Twelve
steers were fed 1856 days. Corn was fed
to all, with the following additional
roughage:
Average Amount
daily of grain
gain per for 100
steer, TBS. lbs. gain
Clover hay. .............2.51 T6S
Timothy hay and corn
stover .................1, S6 9.S7
Timothy, slower and
gluten meal. ...........2.27 744
Last year Kansas did feeding with
twenty steers in each lot. This exper-
fence differed from the others from
the fact, that no hogs followed the
steers. The period of feeding covered
lie days. The gains and costs fol-
low:
Average Amount
daily of grain
gain per for. 100
steer, lbs. lbs, gain
Shelled corn and whole
nay rs 1883
Shelled corn and cut hay POI I'll
Corn meal and whole hay 2.35 756
Corn meal and cut hay. 2.52 ESQ
Readers are still familiar with the
results that the Illinois station recent
ly secured on this market with ninety
six head of steers that had been fed
for 1870 days. The cattle We're graded
as we haXe explained. All We're fed
the Same sort of feed which consisted
of oilmeal. corn and cob mixed with
chopped alfalfa. The gains are given
below, but the cost has not vet been
given out. However. it is estimated to
be close to s cents a pound. The TIA
bic follows:
Daily gain
for $50
days, TBS.
Lot Fancy selected steers. -. 2.57
Lot 2-Choice steers. ........ 2.55
Lot Good steers. ............. 2.35
Lot Medium steers ... 2.13
Lot common steers. ....... 2.21
Lot 6--Inferior steers 1875
While these steers We're fed at en-
tirely different points and for varying
purposes, and some We're expected to
make comparatively low gains, it is
notable that there is a general SINH
larity between ALL
There is a greater difference in the
variation of the quantities of grain
consumed to make certain gain than
III gains. ne thlru table, although no
hogs We're fed. shows no particular ad-
vantage over some of the others Prob
ably had the Odebolt experiment been
conducted in such a manner that the
gain had been secured in pounds in
stead of on q cash basis. a general ave-
rage would have been found that cor
responded with the costs in other ex-
perinents.
- There is probably no doubt but what
such thoroughly posted authority as
Professor Henry, when he saws that
in many of the middle western states
from twenty to thirty pounds. in a few
cases as many as thirty-five pounds
OF corn are fed to the steer daily for
weeks at time is very nearly cor
rect. This means that in their efforts
TO secure from two to two and one
half pounds gain per day formers are
feeding corn at the rate Of from l.
600 to 1,SG0 pounds per hundred
pounds of gain. Assuming that these
flgures are true, a comparison with
the herein mentioned station experi-
merts is hardly necessary to show
where the profits go.
The two reasons we have pointed
out are responsible for this costly
gain: named again, they are wasteful
feeding and too little protein grain
and roaghage in the ratjon. The sta
ton feeding has overcome both OF
these in 4 considerable degree, as the
results show. The proper course for
the farmer is evident.