The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-01-09

Because of the abundant supply OF
cottonSeed meal that there is likely
TO be in this country this year, special
lists in the United States agricultural
department believe that the farmer
has a better opportunity TO make
money by feeding beef cattle than for
some years past. The feeding value
OF cottonseed meal has been recog-
nized BY agricultural authorities for
some time and large quantities OF II
are exported annually to Europe where
the farmers, especially those IN Den
mark. are also aware of its usefulness.
1t now seems likely that the price OF
cottonseed meal will continue to be
considerably lower than in recent years
and the American farmer should there
fore utilize it to advantage to make
cheap gains.
Two causes combine to lower the
price of cottonseed by-products. lp
the first place the cotton crop In the
South this year Is good. and In the
next the foreign markets have been
seriously interfered with by the Euro
pean war. 1t is estimated that this
year 100000 bales of cotton will be
produced in the United States. This
should yield 6,6S0,000 tons of seed
All of this, of course, will not be
crushed, but If last years proportions
hold good again about two million
tons of cottonseed meal will be avail
able. Last year approximately 100000
tons were sent abroad. Under present
conditions 1t is not probable that any
thing like this quantity will be export
ed this year, and, as the cotton crop is
larger than before, 1t Is safe to as
sumo that the quantity of cottonseed
meal on the home market will be 5O0.-
900 tons more than last year. This
situation has already resulted in a
substantial drop in the price of cotton
seed by-products. Cottonseed meal
can now be bought in the South at
prices ranging from s22 to s24 per ton
instead of $27 to $31 demanded last
year An even greater decrease has
taken place in the price of cottonseed
hulls, which are now selling at from
$3.50 to $3.50 a ton instead of 81 to
50 ton.
At these prices cottonsaed meal is
approximately SIS per ton cheaper
than linseed meal, and in addition its
feeding value is a trifle higher. 1t
seems obvious, therefore, that the cat
tie feeder all over the country should
utilize cottonseed meal to a far great
er extent than he has done in the
past.
This meal is very rich in protein.
and it is usually considered that its
feeding value Is at least twice that of
corn. In other words. one pound of
cottonseed meal is equal to two pounds
of corn for feeding cattle. A small
portion of cottonseed meal has an even
greater relative value where the ra-
ton would otherwise be composed en-
tirely of feeds high in carbohydrates,
such as corn, corn slower and timothy
hay. This is extremely important to
cattle feeders throughout the corn
belt and other states where much
corn is fed. In Indiana, for example,
it was found that the addition of one
pound of cottonseed meal to a ration
Of corn and clover hay resulted in a
saving Of 1877 pounds of corn and 1.41
pounds of clover hay. This means
that If corn was worth 20 cents a
bushel and clover hay SIS ton. each
ton of cottonseed meal fed the cattle
saved the farmer $50. 40 worth of other
feed. With cottonseed meal at $24
a ton this is a net saving of s31.40-
a saving well worth while.
AS a matter Of fact cottonseed meal
has been the principal concentrate fed
to cattle in the South for years. In
experiments conducted by the bureau
of animal industry it was found that
with this as the only concentrated
feed gains could be made on steers
very economically. Three hundred
and fifty pounds of meal often pro-
duced as much as 100 pounds OF gain.
When fed judiciously, six pounds OF
cottonseed meal a day for a period
of 100 to 120 days does not prove
harmful to mature steers. If the steers
are to be fed for longer period, how
ever, the amount fed should not be
more than four pounds a day. For
wintering cattle 1t is hard to find a
better or more economical ration than
silage combined with two to three
pounds of cottonseed meal and little
fodder or stover. Mature cattle can
be wintered on a ration of 80 pounds
of silage, two pounds of cottonseed
meal, and about five pounds of some
dry roughage. On such ration steers
will pass through the winter IN ex-
ceedingly good condition and even
gain something in live weight.
But in addition to its feeding value
the fertilizing value of cottonseed
Cowpea Seed for Stock.