Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-06-26
Produce Earlier
Maturing Cattle
There Is Point at Which
More Feed Does Not Yield
Profitable Return.

SPrepared by the United States Department
OF Agricultural
Every farmer knows an animal does
not keep on gaining weight proftably
lust because it eats the feed offered
1t. There is a point beyond which
more feed will not yield profitable
return. The appetite may not lag, but
the ability to put on rapid or profit
able gain does slow up IS the finish
ing period is approached. Farmers
have known this general truth for a
long time, and it has been demon
strated at various experiment stations
and by animal husbandry specialists
of the United States Department of
Agriculture. In experiment station
records and in books, on animal feed
ing there is overwhelming evidence
that hogs and cattle as they grow
older require increasing quantities Of
feed to put on a hundred pounds OF
gain and that the cost of gains, conse-
quently, prices of feed remaining the
same, Increases steadily.
Produce Early Cattle.
That farmers have followed these
results by marketing animals at an
earlier age during recent years has
been indicated in department reports
and comments on the trend of the beef
supply. The tendency is to produce
earlier maturing cattle and to market
them at an earlier age. That sheep
feeders have recognized the same
economic truth as cattle and hog
raisers is evidenced by the almost
complete disappearance of the fat
wether from the market, the lamb be-
ing the market sheep relied upon gen.
orally for greatest returns.
Having in mind these general facts
regarding the decreasing efficiency OF
animals as meat producers and the
changed practices of farmers and
feeders, DIR. w. J. Spillman of the
bureau of agricultural economics
United States Department of Agricul
ture, has shown the possibility of ap
plying the law of diminishing. returns
to meat production with much more
accuracy. BY the use of experimental
feeding data obtained by various ex'
pertinent stations through actual feed.
ing trials. he has found that the rate
of gain OF an animal from a. certain
unit of feed, provided the feed is not
changed, decreases with surprising
regularity. His analysis was based
on the results of 500 hog-feeding ex-
periments and the results of feeding
$50 steers. He found that the hogs
after. reaching a weight of 100 pounds
on each 200 pounds Of grain fed them
made an average gain of 95.7 per cent
of the gain made on the preceding 2OC
pounds; and that cattle, after reach
Ing q weight of 300 pounds, made
gain on each successive unit Of feed
equivalent to 200 pounds of grain Of
982 per cent Of the gain made on the
preceding 200 pounds.
Basis for Computation.
These results give the feeder dea
mite basis for computations on what
may be expected from the animals he
is feeding. He has known, tc be sure
that given quantity Of feed produced
steadily less meat as the finishing
period approached, but he did moi
know that a definite percentage fol
the decreasing rate of gain could be
obtained early In the feeding perioc
and used to predict future gains il
there is no change in the ration. Il
changes are made in the ration, as il
frequently done by successful feeders
another percentage would have to be
established to apply to the new ration
In the experiments referred to, the
hogs, starting with weight of 100
pounds, made a gain of 1851 pounds
on the first 200 pounds of grain fed tc
them. The steers, after reaching 8
weight Of 800 pounds, on their first
unit of feed equivalent to 200 pounds
of grain), gained 25.26 pounds. Thus
the hogs started off much more rapid
ly than the steers, but the rate of gair
dropped less rapidly in the case of the
steers as they take longer to reach the
finishing period.
1t is the belief of the department
that feeding results on the farm viii
be found to follow the same law Of
diminishing returns, although The
rates of gain of farm animals general
ly may not be so rapid as the gains Of
similar animals fed definite rations
under experimental conditions. Oh
course the law as stated will apply
only to animals on a full ration This
fact, however, does not in any way
conflict with the principle that equa
quantities Of feed will show progress
sively smaller results in gain as the
animal reaches the finishing period.
While many feeders understand in 8
general way from experience the
working of the law of diminishing re
turns as applied to livestock feeding
it is believed that this more definite
knowledge regarding the decrease In
rate of gain will enable them to apply
1t more closely to their business. 1t is
another means for aiding them In de
termining more accurately when feed.
ing will cease to be source of profit
and when 1t may be continued longer
with probability of profit.