Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station Lafayette, Indiana
Mimeo A.H. 221 April 195S
SELF FEEDING STEERS ON PASTURE AND IN DRYLOT T. W. Perry, W. M. Beeson, Donald Webb and C. H. Nickel (Conducted at Lynnwood Farm, Carmel, Indiana)
The twice daily hand feeding of cattle is rapidly becoming a system of the past. Eventually, most cattle will be self fed complete mixtures by free choice or push button automation. Several years ago we started an intensive research project at Lynnwood Farm, Carmel, Indiana to study all the ramifications and problems of selffeeding beef cattle.
Previous research has shown that cattle can be fattened satisfactorily on a free choice ration either when the ingredients are fed separately or when all the ingredients are mixed together into a complete ration.
When the nutrients (grain, hay, and minerals) are fed free choice, separately, the following results are obtained:
1.	Increased rate of gain,
2.	Increased carcass quality,
3.	Increased consumption of protein supplement.
4.	Increased selling price per pound.
However, the amount of protein supplement consumed when fed free choice varies in accordance with palatability of corn and other feeds. Under some conditions exceptionally large quantities of protein supplement were eaten when fed on an ad libitum basis. Cne year9s research indicated the consumption of free choice protein supplement could be controlled by incorporating loose salt. When cattle are given free access to ground ear corn and hay, a 5% addition of salt is required to control the intake of Purdue Supplement A at about two pounds daily. Cn hay alone it requires from 15% to 20% addition of salt to control the intake of Supplement A to two pounds daily. Also, previous research has shown that the feeding of an antibiotic results in increased rate of gain, feed efficiency, and improved carcass quality.
The objectives of this trial were:
1.	To study the effect of self feeding (cafeteria style) on pasture and in drylot on growth rate, feed consumption, feed efficiency and carcass quality.
2.	To compare self feeding (cafeteria style) in drylot, with self feeding (cafeteria style) in which the level of free choice Supplement A intake is controlled by added salt.
3.	To study the effect of adding antibiotic to self-fed rations.