6 



The Bulletin. 



ble points disappear so rapidly under the influence of food and care, 

 as to make the cattle in a short time as fine a lot of feeders as can be 

 found in the country." 



Fig. 1. — A Very Unsatisfactory Feeder. 



This seemingly plausible argument deceives many, but is nonsense 

 just the same. No matter how poor cattle may be, if they lack the 

 characteristics of beef animals — "the straight back and well-sprung 

 ribs, the straight lower line and well-filled quarters" — they can never 

 have their conformation changed by any quantity of feed, or by any 

 sort of care. In fact, the scrub or dairy-bred steer, as he increases 

 in age, departs still farther from the proper beef form. His shoulders 

 and belly grow larger, while his back, hips and thighs seem to get 

 thinner. He is increasing in weight to be sure, but it is in portions 

 furnishing the cheaper cuts and in tallow on his inside and not in 

 valuable beef over his back, loin and hips, or in his thighs. No matter 

 what he may weigh, or how fat he may be made, he will still be a 

 cheap scrub and bring a scrub price on the market. 



The old saw, that an article well bought is half sold, is nowhere 

 better illustrated than in the buying of cattle for feeding for beef. 

 The question of profit or loss in the operation is as much dependent 

 upon the judgment exercised in buying as upon any other feature of 

 the whole business. 



