Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-05-09
Summer Feeding of Cattle.

A northern Missouri correspond
ent writes: 81 am feeding lot of
three-year-old stears weighing about
l.l5O pounds. | have been feeding
them since January lst. They are
now prantically on lull-feed of ear
corn. They. have access to hay and
are running on blue grass pasture.
l also have a lot Of well-bred heifer
calves weighing about 500 pounds.
They are on the same kind of feed
as the steers with the exception that
their corn is shelled and they re-
ceive daily ration Of oil meal. 1t
is my intention to market these cat
tie in June and | should like to
know the most economical ration to
feed them. Corn is worth 40 cents
per bushel, oil meal new process)
$3l p ton and cotton seed meal
$27.4O per ton. viii it be neces-
sary to shell corn for steers if feed
meal? Would it pay to shell corn
for steers if their grain ration con-
sisted of nothing but corn? The
cattle are all of good quality. Any
information you may be able to give
me will be thankfully received"
With cotton seed meal (N. p at
$27.4 and oil meal at $31 per ton
I'VE would by I'll means substitute
the former for the latter. Cotton
seed meal is concentrate. that is
richer in protein than any other
feed on the market. One hundred
pounds Of it contains on an average
37.2 pounds of digestible protein,
whereas, oil meal (N. P.) contains
2S.2 pounds Of digestible protein
per 100 pounds. 1t is generally con-
sidered that pound of digestible
protein in cotton seed meal is not
qaite equal to pound of digestible
protein in oil meal, but it is safe to
say that pound Of cotton seed meal
is equal to a pound Of oil meal in
feeding value. Practical feeders who
have fed good deal Of cotton seed
meal have learned to appreciate the
value Of this feeding stuff. In view
IF this fact, we do not hesitate to say
that cotton seed meal will prove to
be a..more economical food to our
correspondent than oil meal at the
prices quoted. We suggest that a
ration consisting of Is, Is or 20
pounds of grain, composed of about
four ffths Of corn and one-fifth cot
ton seed meal ought to be an eco
nomical ration under the conditions
mentioned. We regard 40 cent corn
as high priced as compared with
| $27 cotton seed meal. Hence, the
reason why we would feed as much
as 20 per cent of the latter. If corn
were cheaper and oil meal at S3l
had to be purchased, it might not
prove economical to feed as high q
percentage Of concentrates as men.
toned.
Care should be taken in getting
the cattle accuston. ed to cotton seed
meal. 1t would be well to begin
with ration containing about one
half pound of cotton seed meal pei
day, then gradually increase this by
say one-half pound every five or 81,
days until the full allowance is be
ing fed.
1t appears to us that our CORE
spondent would do better to feet
his steers until the middle of Jul,
or the first Of August. Well finish
ed corn-fed steers usually sell a
as good prices at that time of tn,
year as they do at any time ant
since they are not receiving oil mea
at the present, the time is a littl
short to get them in as good condi
ton as would seem desirable. w
offer this simply as a suggestion
our correspondent knowing his owl
conditions best, ought to be the bes
Judge.
1t is our opinion that it woul
pay to shell corn for steers if mea
is fed as suggested, as the meal ca
be mixed with it to better advan
tage in that way. Whether it woul
pay to shell corn for steers on gras
that are receiving nothing but gras
would depend entirely upon tn
steers themselves. If they eat ca
!; corn or the crushed corn well, thu
is, if their mouths do not get tel
der, possibly they may do as we'll o
, the crushed as on the shelled corr
It is our opinion, however, that cor
fed during the summer month
should be soaked or ground and
is probably cheaper to soak than
grind it unless conditions on IL
n farm are such that grinding can
: done at very little expense. Soal
!, ing corn for twelve hours will softe
, it up, making it easier for the steer
IN chou, ~ ,nJ +h,,o1,,, :,,o,o,,:,,