Live Stock Breeders' Association. 169 



18 hours, depending upon the compactness of the ear and the 

 density of the cob. Toward the end of a long feed, shelled corn 

 soaked 12 to 18 hours is very profitable and helpful in making a 

 rapid finish or in maintaining rapid gains to the end. 



Chafing Hay, etc. — Many attempts have been made to increase 

 the efficiency of the ration by combining chafed hay or similar ma- 

 terial with the grain. Undoubtedly a ration so compounded will be 

 handled by the animal with less liability to scours and to getting off 

 feed, and will be masticated and digested more perfectly, and will 

 therefore be more completely utilized than when it is given in its 

 natural state but, for the ordinary class of cattle, the labor involved 

 has been found to be out of all proportion to the increased efficiency 

 shown. The market does not demand that ordinary animals be 

 made fat enough to require this nice attention to feeding. To make 

 show animals, all of this is necessary, and is fully justified. 



BETTER PREPARATION REQUIRED TOWARD THE LATTER END OF THE 



FEEDING PERIOD. 



It is evident, from a study of the detailed answers to our ques- 

 tion in regard to the preparation of feed, and particularly from a 

 study of the summary of these replies just presented, that the 

 practice of offering feed of finer texture, better quality, and higher 

 palatability in the latter part of the feeding period than in the 

 earlier part is well established. This is due to the fact that an ani- 

 mal in thin condition has a good appetite and will consume coarse 

 and relatively cheap material in sufficient quantity to make profit- 

 able gains. Later, when the system is loaded with fat, the appetite 

 becomes more delicate and discriminating, and requires to be ca- 

 tered to in quality, condition, and palatability to a marked degree, 

 in order that a rapid rate of gain may be maintained and an eco- 

 nomical finish be made. This is particularly true of cattle that are 

 to be made very fat, and is more true of young animals than of 

 older ones. It is more true of young than of older animal on ac- 

 count of the tendency of the former to use much of its feed for 

 growth. In such cases a relatively large gain may show a very 

 slight improvement in the condition of the animals. Therefore, a 

 preparation of feed that would be wholly impracticable for the 

 earlier or main portion of the feeding period might prove to be 

 exceedingly profitable in the last 60 days. Failure to recognize this 

 fundamental fact in cattle feeding distinguishes the unsuccessful 

 feeder from the successful one. 



