208 EXPERIMENT STATION— BULLETINS. 



exhibit, and Mr. Hostetter, in charge of the books of that department. To 

 these gentlemen we had occasion to refer frequently, and to their kind atten- 

 tion we are greatly indebted. 



At my suggestion the Board of Agriculture decided upon the appointment 

 of a committee to pass upon the merits of the steers as beef producers, market 

 demand and price being taken into the account. We were especially fortu- 

 nate in having a committee whose intelligence, experience, and fairness 

 greatly emphasized the value of their decision. Mr. Stocking is an old time 

 feeder from Central Illinois, and, like Mr. Imboden, has almost a national 

 reputation, gained by their very efficient services as judges at former fat 

 stock shows, while Mr. Ingwersen brought the experience of many years in 

 buying in the greatest cattle market of the world. 



The steers were shown November 19, and the following report made of their 

 comparative merits by the committee. 



To the Illinois State Board of Agriculture : 



Your committee appointed to examine the steers of different breeds, fed by 

 the Farm Department of the Michigan Agricultural College, to determine 

 their value as far as profit to the feeder, their market value, and a profitable 

 carcass from the butcher's and consumer's standpoint, submit the following 

 report: 



The Shorthorn steer, Homer, we rank first in the lot so far as profit from 

 the feeder's standpoint is concerned. He weighing 1,870 lbs. at 1,071 days 

 old, again of 1.74 lbs. per day. Homer also ranks first in value for the market 

 as well as the block. On most markets he would outsell any of the others. 



The Hereford steer, Hendricks, as a butchers' bullock is equal to the Short- 

 horn. He has not made growth enough for age, weighing 1,450 lbs. at 

 1,100 days, a daily gain of 1.32 lbs., to make a profitable beast for the breeder. 

 On account of the lack of weight he would not bring quite so much as the 

 Shorthorn in the market. 



The Devon steer, Latitude, we should place third as a butchers' bullock 

 and a seller in the market. While he is a well fleshed and even steer, he has 

 not made growth enough to be profitable to the feeder, weighing 1,270 lbs. 

 at 953 days, a gain per day of 1.33 lbs. j 



The Galloway steer, King Jumbo, on account of his rapid growth, weigh- 

 ing 1,620 lbs. at 987 days, a daily gain of 1.64 lbs., should be ranked second 

 as a profitable beast for the breeder. While he lacks somewhat the finish 

 and quality of the Devon, on account of his greater weight he would rank 

 with him in market value. As a butchers' bullock we should rank him 

 fourth, his finish not being quite equal to the Devon. ! 



The Holstein steer, Nicholas, has also made rapid growth, weighing 1,660 

 lbs. at 976 days old, a growth of 1.70 lbs. per day, which would class 

 him with the Galloway, from the standpoint of giving good returns to the 

 feeder. He, however, lacks the quality which makes the best type of a 

 butchers' bullock. He is too coarse, in the opinion of your committee, to 

 make a profitable bullock, for the reason that, when finished and placed on 

 the present markets, he would have to sell at a reduced price, from $1.00 to 

 $1.50 per hundred less than the Shorthorn or Hereford. 



The Jersey steer, Roscoe, while an excellent specimen of the breed, should 

 rank lowest as a feeder, weighing only 1,420 lbs. at 1,161 days old, a daily 

 gain of 1.28 lbs. In the present markets we think he would sell for the same 



