122 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



The summary, by states, is as follows: 



state 



Number of 

 reports 



Most profitable 

 weight. 



Missouri . . . . 



Iowa 



Illinois . . . . 

 Nebraska . 



Total 



This means that these feeders have found the so-called "dressed 

 beef" steer weighing from 1,200 to 1,400 pounds on the market 

 the most profitable class to produce. This is primarily because 

 of the steady and uniform demand for cattle of this class on the 

 market, rather than because this particular age or weight of cattle 

 were produced more cheaply than lighter and younger ones. For 

 a full discussion of the relation of the selling qualities of the dif- 

 ferent ages and weights the reader is referred to a bulletin of the 

 Missouri Experiment Station on Beef Production, number 76. 



There has been during the past twenty-five or thirty years a 

 marked change in the market demands of cattle. Formerly, added 

 to the difficulties of making young cattle fat that have already 

 been pointed out, was the further disadvantage that light weights 

 would not bring as good a price as heavier weights. Before dis- 

 cussing the bearing of these figures upon the whole problem of 

 profitable beef production, it will be well to consider the answers 

 to the next question and likewise the answers to the ones that are 

 intimately related. 



"Have you found it profitable under ordinary circumstances 

 to produce 1,500 to 1,600-pound steers?" 



The summary of answers, by states, is as follows : 



