132 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



stress will be laid on the application of the term to the kind of carcass 

 produced by the individual animal. To illustrate: It has been dem- 

 onstrated of late that the scrub (lacking quality) can compete more 

 closel}^ with the beef steer (possessed of quality) in the production of 

 quantity of meat from little quantities of food, than has been hitherto 

 supposed. But because of the superior quality of the dressed carcass 

 of the beef steer, the market still continues to discriminate in his favor 

 to the extent of an increase in market value from $1.00 to $1.50 per 

 cwt. live weight. In the past, quality and excessive fatness have 

 been confused. A carcass possessed of quality must be thick-fleshed, 

 juicy and tender, devoid of excessive fatness. Markets are demanding 

 this class more and more. It began with discrimination against the 

 heavy tallowy mutton, now it extends to the heavy overfat steer. How 

 soon will the same application be made to swine? 



Economic production of beef must depend largely upon three factors, 

 viz., crop production, methods of feeding, and the amount and cost of the 

 labor used. Cheap foods cannot be produced from poor lands poorly 

 managed. The farm must be made to produce to its utmost capacity 

 by proper rotating, careful fertilizing and skillful management of the 

 labor applied. Having produced foods at the lowest cost, their eco- 

 nomic use in feeding is the most important feature. The balanced ra- 

 tion is essential. It is unfortunate that computation of rations is not 

 better understood, due to the terminology used in connection with 

 the various food nutrients. The balanced ration simply means the 

 supplying of foods in proper combination to meet the requirements 

 of the animal without a deficiency or excess of any component. Many 

 feeders through long years of experience, have learned to balance ra- 

 tions without knowing aught of the composition or digestibility of food 

 stuffs. Such experience is often gained at great cost. Nature provides 

 balanced rations for animal life as in the case of milk and grass. Many 

 of the food stuffs have been specialized by the artifice of man for special 

 purposes and in themselves are not perfect foods. In general, there- 

 fore, widely overbalanced rations must result in loss of those nutrients 

 supplied in excess. 



Economy regarding quality of concentrates used in beef making. 

 This must depend, to some extent, on the nature and quality of the 

 roughage supplied. In general practice, particularly in the corn belt, 

 exceedingly heavy grain rations have been used for beef making. Not- 

 withstanding the fact that the most rapid gains are generally the most 

 profitable, nevertheless, the medium grain ration is proving to be the 

 most economical. A heavy grain ration will produce absolutely greater 

 increase in live weight than the medium, but the additional increase 

 will not be in proportion to the increase in the ration. Where clover or 

 alfalfa hay and corn silage comprise the roughage, from three-fourths 

 pound to one and one-fourth pounds of concentrates per cwt. live weight 

 per day, would illustrate what we mean by a medium ration. 



Radical changes in the ration should be avoided. Losses may occur 

 to a marked extent during the time required by an animal to adjust 

 itself to the change. A variety of food stuffs, however, in the ration, 

 is to be greatly commended, but even readjustment of these factors 

 should be made slowly. Constant access to water is also a very im- 

 portant factor in beef production. This can best be provided where 

 the animals are not confined in stalls. Recent investigations show 



