South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-08-29
Velvet Beans and
Corn Silage Good
to Fatten Ca It'll e

Corn Si,ace and velvet beans are
said 10 form satisfa Glory ration
for fattening steers for market
This is the result Of feeding expert
ments just completed al the United
States department of agriculture
farm at BeltsyiIle. Nd
other points brought out by the
tests indicate that velvet beans com
pare tavora bly, with cottonseed
meal producing profta ole gains
when the beans are the sole con
ccntrate of the ration that il is
more prOfta bic to feed soaked
beans than il is 10 grind them. and
that more beans Will be eaten if
soaked before they are fed if they
are fed dry.
Objects OF Experiment.
The objects of the experiment
were to compare velvet beans i'm
three forms whole ground and
soaked--With cottonseed meal as
supplements to corn silagc and dry
roughages and 10 determine the
most economical forms n which
velvet beans might he fed m fat
tenin- cattle FOR market Incident
ally it was hoped that the tests
would show possibilities of grain
conservation n the production of
beef as wartime measure.
The cattle used I'm the tests were
40 good two-year-oId steers i'm
which short-hom blood predomi-
mated They were bought last Feb
ruary in the East ST Louis mar
kct. where they were selected out
Of shipments from Illinois and
Missouri. and were jn fair stockel
condition when placed ON the eN-
detrimental feeding rations. Thee
were divided into four lots OF 10
steers each, the lots selected so that
they would be as nearly equal as
possible i'm weight quality and con-
dition- They were fed for liz
days
RatiOns Fed 10 the Lots.
The average daily returns con-
sumed by Tot was 439 pounds
of cottouseed meal. 1912 pounds
of corn ~ilaee and 40 pounds Of
dry rouehaee This lot made am
average daily gain or $50 pounds
az a cost Of about l. cents Il pound
or S1197 hundred
Lot consumed an average daily
ration OF 1.59 pounds of DRY. whole
velvet beans. 26.S5 pounds Of corn
silase and AS pounds OF dly
roushage This lot made an aver
age daily gain of 1.T3 pounds "a
head. at a cost Of about "a cents
a pound or S1f.12 hundred
Lot III ate each day an aVeras,
~ So pounds of yelvet-bean meal
26.92 pounds Of corn siIage and 4.1o
pounds OF dry rouShage The ami
mails made am average daily gain OF
15f pounds. at cost OF about ~
cents a pound. or 214of hun
dred
Lot IV consumed an average
daily ration OF 262 pounds Of
soaked. whole velvet beans 2S4C
pounds OF corn silace and SD
pounds Or dry rouehase. This TOT
made an average daily gain Of 1873
pounds a head at q cost Of about
10 cents a pound orr s1S.19 hun
dred
The dry roughage was the same
for all lots and consisted or corn
slower for the first oS-dav period
and wheat straw for the last three
2S-day periods
The feeds were 40 current stand
ard prices and the charge acains-
each kind included the actual cos-
81 LAYING it down NJ the farm
What the CarcaS~cs showed.
The examination OF the carca
in the cooler ar Baltimore showed
that Lots 7 and ~ were nearly
alike as 10 quality However. meat
experts there were Of the OPINION
that i any difference existed rt
was IN favor Of the carcasses in
Lot ~ Tot TT yves better than
Lot ILL., because Of the greater
covering Of far The avera ge
dressed weights. according "a the
Baltimore basis. gave the follow
ing percentages OF dressed 90 live
weights. Lot I. 54.16. Lot 1T 54e7:
Lot IIT 540l: Lot ~ 55.77 The
steers Were sold on the farm bv
farm weights az ~. cents pound
mora. than they cost in East &