83 



Gains made by scrub cattle during a season of 7 months 



on pasture. 



Value of in- 

 Lbs. crease at 2V^c 



Mature cows, suckiug- calves .... 59 11.48 



Heifers above 300 lbs 172 4.30 



Yearlings, up to 30a lbs 103 2.58 



Suckiug calves 141 3 . 52 



Young steers and bulls 149 3.73 



It is obviously unfair to compare the mature cows 

 with the other animals, since the slight gains made by 

 them are due in large measure to the tact that they had 

 nursing calves at their sides. Excluding the coans, we 

 find that the lai-gest gains were made li>' the heifers tJiat 

 at the beginning of the season weighed more than 300 

 lbs. It is notable that the heifers should have beaten 

 the steers of corresponding weight. The sucking calves 

 made considerably greater gains than did the yeaidings, 

 but it cannot of course be said that sucking calves are 

 most profitable stock for grazing, for the reason that the 

 grazing of this class of animals necessitates supporting 

 the dam, whose gain is slow. 



A more accurate idea of the relative profit of grazing 

 these ditferent classes of animals may be obtained by 

 ascertaining what per cent of increase, as compared with 

 the weight in the spring, is made by the average animal 

 of each class during the season of abundant pasturage. 



Percent increase during pasturage season of 7 months. 



Avg. wt. Per cent, 



in spring. increase. 



Cows, suckling calves 615 8 



Heifers 440 39 



Yearlings, male and female .... 269 38 



Sucking calves 272 51 



Steers and bulls 428 35 



According to this showing, if scrub cattle are bought 

 and sohl at the same price, the investment should return 

 a gross profit of 39 per cent, with large heifers. 38 per 

 eent with yearlings and 35 per cent, with steers. Since 



