*m__: ■ ./*■■
VOL. LXVIII
INDIANAPOLIS, Z>NE 7, 1913
NO. 23
Indiana Cattle Feeders?Hold Successful Meeting
The Indiana Cattle Feeders' Convention is an event looked forward to with
a great deal of interest by hundreds of
cattle feeders in the state. Twice each
year the most progressive and enthusiastic stockmen of the Hoosier State
gather in convention at Lafayette to
renew acquaintances, to discuss cattle
feeding, and to inspect the experimental fed stock, at Purdue Experiment Station.
It has been the custom at that station for several years to begin a cattle
feeding test in the fall and in the
spring at the close of the test call a
meeting of the stockmen of the state
in order that they might see for themselves the results. At this time commission men, who buy cattle daily on
the big live stock markets, set a market price on the various lots of cattle
which have received different rations,
and from these values the profit or loss
is computed and given out at the meeting. This plan has proven very satisfactory in many ways and although all
the data is published in bulletin form
It cannot be made as forceful or complete as at a meeting of this kind
where the cattle can be seen. The
sixth annual spring convention of this
kind was held at the station, May 23.
It was one of the most enthusiastic
meetings of the organization, and the
fact that the interest of the stockmen
of the state is growing was shown by
the increased attendance. The gathering was fifty per cent larger than at
any  previous  meeting.
President Says Prospects are Good.
Maurice Douglas, of Flat Rock president of the association, in his introductory remarks stated that the last
few years have been the most prosperous in his experience with the cattle
feeding business. His faith in the future of the Industry Is well attested by
the fact that he is now erecting at a
considerable cost a feeding plant of
sufficient capacity to accommodate
several loads of cattle.
The results of the feeding trial which
had Just been completed were discussed by Prof. F. G. King, of Purdue who
has had charge of .the trial, and who is
secretary  of  the  Indiana  Cattle  Feed
ers' Association. The cattle used In
the trial had been purchased locally
and on the Chicago market. All lots
except lot 7 were valued at $G.65 per
cwt. at the beginning of the trial; lot
7 being valued at $6.90 per cwt.
Objects of the Fowling Trial.
The special objects of the test were
to compare first, soy bean meal vs. cot-
placed by Messrs. J. T. Alexander of
Chicago and Allen Beeler of Indianapolis was $8.40 per cwt. This leaves
a profit of $4.29 per steer without the
pork produced, or $11.16 per head
when  pork  is Included.
The cattle In lot 4 were fed shelled
corn, cottonseed meal, clover bay and
corn   silage. They  gained   435.3   lbs.
per   head,   the   largest  gain   of  any   lot
THE  STEER IN THE   PURDUE  FEEDING   TESTS   THAT   MADE   MOST   PROFITABLE}   GAINS.     IT   WAS   IN   LOT   7.
tonseed meal (Lots 1 and 6); second,
the comparative value of clover hay
and corn silage (Lots 2, 3 and 4); third
the comparison of large and small
quantities of cottonseed meal (Lots 5
and 6); fourth, oat straw vs. clover
hay for cattle receiving silage, (Lots 6
and 4); fifth, value of corn silage without grain during the first part of the
feeding period (Lots 7 and 6).
The cattle in lot 2 were fed a ration
of shelled corn, cottonseed meal and
clover hay. They gained in 180 days
432.5 lbs. per steer at a cost of $9.34
per cwt. gain. The selling value of
the   cattle   on   the  Chicago   market  as
in the trial. The cost of gain was
$8.16 per cwt. The selling value was
$8.35 per cwt. The profit per lot was
$8.65 per steer, not Including pork,
and $18.50 per head Including pork
produced.
Lot 6 was fed the same as lot 4, except the clover hay was replaced by
oat straw. The rate of gain was practically the same and the cost of gain
was reduced 42 cents per cwt. by the
use of the cheaper roughage. The
selling value of the cattle was the same
ln lots 6 and 4. The proflt not including pork was $10.42 in lot 6, and $19.05
including   pork.
Trials With Concentrated Feeds.
Lot 3 was fed shelled corn, cottonseed meal and corn silage. The rate of
gain was 2.29 lbs. dally per head with a
cost of $8.08 per cwt. The selling
value of this lot however was so low
that the proflt was not as large as
when some form of dry roughage was
fed in addition to the silage and grain.
The selling value was $8.25 per cwt.
and the profit not Including pork $7.76
per head, and $15.41 per steer when
the gain on the hogs was included as
a part of the feeding operation.
Lot 5 was fed the same as lot 6 except that more cottonseed meal waa
fed. Four pounds daily per 1000 lbs.
cwt. was fed in lot 5 and 2 % lbs. in lot
C. The rate of gain was 2.32 lbs. daily
per bead. The cost of gain was $8.56
per cwt. The selling price value was
$8.35. The proflt per head was $7.00
not including pork, and $15.06 per
head when this item was considered.
l»t 1 was fed the same as lot I
except that soy bean meal was fed instead of cottonseed meal. The cattle
receiving soy bean tended toward
"looseness'' and did not relish their
feed as much as those receiving the
cottonseed meal. The cost of gain
was $7.89 and the selling value $8.20
per cwt. in this lot. The profit was
$7.95 per head not including pork and
$15.82 per steer when this source of
proflt ls considered.
Lot 7 contained the heaviest steers
in the 70 head when started on feed.
They received no corn for the flrst 70
days. The remaining 110 days they
were put full feed on the same ration
as lot 6. They made a daily gain of
2:20 lbs. per head at a cost of $7.M
per cwt. The profit in this lot w as
$8.12 per steer without pork and
$16.95   per  head   with   the  pork.
Good  Crops  Mean  More  Beef.
During noon hour the cattle, as well
as the experiment grounds, were Inspected by the visitors, and lunch was
served in the Judging Pavilion. In the
afternoon Mr. Alexander read a short,
paper on the condition and outlook of
the cattle market. He said that al-
Contlnued on page 16.
THIS  LOT FED ON*  SHELLED CORN.   COTTONSEED
OATS   STRAW,   MADE   »10 .42   PROFIT   PER   STEER-
IN  SILAGE   AND
LOT   NO.   4      WHICH   F
■"IRM  IN  FLESH.