In our cattle feeding experiments this year, which ended the first of June, we followed up our tests of the past 2 years in which we were trying to find out whether it pays to chop hay for fattening steers and whether limited grain feeding with good quality steers would pay during this war period. There were other questions too that we wanted to answer if possible such as: In chopping hay for steers, should it be coarse or fine? How long a period should good quality yearling steers be fed?

Birdsfoot trefoil shows considerable promise as a perennial pasture legume for use in southern Iowa. Small plot and field plantings we have made show that it thrives growing with bluegrass. Cattle graze it freely, and when grown with bluegrass the forage production is not only increased but the birdsfoot trefoil, like alfalfa, continues to grow through the summer when bluegrass “takes a nap.”

It is going to take a lot of careful planning, good care and management to make our laying flocks pay for the scarce and valuable feed and labor of the coming year.

When the top soil has washed away or blown away—crop yields drop. Most farmers know this. But just why won’t the subsoil produce as well as the original top soil? Is there any particular element that we can add to eroded soils which will step up crop yields? These are questions we have been looking into at the Iowa Station.