Live Stock Breeders* Association. 143 



the farmer on thin land would have even more reason than the one 

 on the stronger land for adopting this practice, since he stands in 

 greater need of the plant food which would be acquired without 

 cost in the purchased feeds. In no other way can the fertility and 

 productiveness of land be built up so rapidly and so cheaply, except, 

 perhaps, by feeding dairy cows, which would, on account of the 

 higher priced product obtained, justify the purchase of larger 

 quantities of feed rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, such as cotton- 

 seed meal, linseed meal, etc. 



In general, however, the farmer on the thinner grazing land 

 will not have such a corn supply available at a price that will en- 

 able him to feed this class of stock, and his only recourse would be 

 to make his money out of the cheap gains made on grass. This 

 means that he should carefully save all of his corn stover and feed 

 it with his clover or cowpea hay and a limited amount of corn to 

 his calves through the first winter. 



The question as to whether it is best to sell as calves or carry 

 them through the first winter and sell as yearlings at grass — in 

 short, the whole question as to when to sell, can only be answered 

 by the individual himself, because he alone is in possession of all 

 the facts with respect to supply of feed, etc. 



If they are to be sold as calves, they should be carried up to 

 the selling point in a strong, vigorous condition, and be offered 

 with the milk bloom on. At no other time in the life of a steer does 

 it look so attractive and promising — not even when finally fattened 

 for slaughter. But if to be wintered, they should be weaned while 

 the grass is yet good, so that growth may be not checked, or if the 

 grass be short, they should be taught to eat and be fed liberally 

 with some good forage, like bright clover hay, and a limited amount 

 of grain through this weaning process. The dehorning and vac- 

 cinating against blackleg should immediately follow. 



Calves Should be Well Wintered — It is especially important 

 that such cattle be made to grow well the first winter, which means 

 that they should be fed liberally. The rate of growth at this period 

 of their life is normally much more rapid in proportion to the 

 weight than later. Therefore, to restrict the growth process at this 

 stage of the animal's life, may affect the size of the animal and it 

 certainly will increase the cost of growing it to a normal size. The 

 fact that they are to be grazed the following summer rather than 

 fattened renders it imperative that they be not so heavily fed as to 

 carry to grass any considerable amount of fat. It is the poorest 

 possible policy to lay fat on animals in the winter at a large ex- 



