222 BOARD OK AOKICULTUJfi:. 



make dcsiraltlo liri'odiii.u Imlls. The Tact that siu-h animals art- castrated 

 is (•(iiuiiuiuhilih', lull it shiMild lie i eiiieiiiliered lliat it takes Just as good 

 an iii(li\ idual to make a tirsl-class sleei' as it does to make a lirst-elass 

 bull. Xi) man should exicct to make a winnin.:;' steer out ol' an animal 

 that is not riuhl to hei^in with, lie may make an ordinary individual do 

 mueh with the material at hand, Imt never e(iual to the suiterior one. It 

 is .true that there are very often si»leiulid individual hull calves dropped 

 that on a<coiint of eolor, a smut nose — or ^onie minor point makes them 

 undesii'ablt' for brt'cdini; pmiidses. and such ai'e to be found at the front 

 in the steer shows. 



Shorthorn men will find it iirotitable to show some superiqr steers. 

 They have not doiu- as mueli in individual class shows as the breed 

 di'serves. At the recent International some of the Shorthoi'u steers were 

 no credit to the breed. They did not represent breed type or g<ioil form, 

 in many cases, and it is along this line that we need to work in the 

 selection of steers. 



There is only one correct type of beef iLUimal. It is easier to say 

 what that type should not be, than to say what it should be. We can 

 agree, however, on certain features wliich a prime show steer should 

 have. To begin with he should have good form and the best ijuality, that 

 is, he should have good lines, a short head, wide forehead, strong jaw, 

 short, well-set neck and smooth shoulders; a wide spring of rib, straight 

 back, wide, strong loin, smooth liips. deep, wide quarters and stand on 

 short, straight legs; his bone should be tine, hair and skin should be fine, 

 soft and mellow with an abundance of the former. Select the low down, 

 thick set, blocky calf with a wealth of natural liesli. 



With a calf of this description, the feeder must from the beginning 

 keep in mind the ultimate end of his animal, and unless he knows just 

 exactly the characteristics of a finished steer, his efforts will be uncertain 

 and may be disappointing. Having selected calves, give them all the 

 milk they will take, teaching them to steal while young. There is no 

 food of any kind that will (piite take the place of milk in feeding show 

 calves. The young steers should be imslu'd as rapidly as i)ossible. and 

 without any interruptions, as such will be detrimental. After three or four 

 weeks teach them to eat oats, liran and cracked corn. Some will learn 

 to eat oats sooner than corn, while the reverse will be true with others. 

 If they are good doers, they may be allowed all they will eat up to live 

 or six months, after which time, in most cases, it will be necessary to 

 limit the grain in order to get them to take all the milk they should have 

 and keep them on feed. For roughage there is nothing more desirable 

 than alfalfa; good clover hay and sheaf oats are next in line. Calves 

 under six months should liave dry, warm (juarters with plenty of sun- 

 light and exercise in open air when weather will permit. During the 

 grass season there is no better place for calves than on a rank blue grass 

 pasture. In summer allow them to run out diu-ing the night and in a 



