FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VI. 341 



B. STEERS. 



THE MARGIN A FEEDER SHOULD EXPECT BETWEEN THE BUYING 

 PRICE OF HIS FEEDERS AND THE SELLING PRICE OF THE 

 FINISHED PRODUCT TO GIVE HIM A REASONABLE PROFIT 

 FOR HIS TROUBLE. TAKING AS A BASIS CORN AT THIRTY 

 CENTS PER BUSHEL. 



R. T. ^t. John. Riceville. 



In discussing the above subject it will be necessary to first consider 

 the many circumstances and conditions entering into the problem. We 

 must not reason from the experience and results of a careless and sloth- 

 ful feeder, who would place inferior steers in exposed yards, with cold 

 or pooly ventilated sheds, with little or no bedding, ice water to drink 

 and irregular feeding. Neither can we reason or figure from the experi- 

 ence and results of the professors and students at the agricultural college, 

 because the college fed steer is petted, groomed and cared for individ- 

 ually, with all the comforts possible to bestow, which are not practical 

 for the average farmer and feeder. Neither can we figure from the re- 

 sults and experiences of those* who would put thirty-cent corn into infe- 

 rior or scrub steers. 



Our experience and observations will therefore be better understood 

 by taking as a basis the feeder who is a farmer, experienced, thorough 

 and prudent, a lover and judge of good cattle, selecting high grades from 

 any of the popular beef breeds. Cattle to be dehorned, free from blem- 

 ishes, and free from the vicious hired man who would cause blem- 

 ishes. To be in good flesh from pasture, reds, roans or blacks preferred. 

 Bunch and place in closed, well-drained yards, with warm, well-bedded, 

 well-ventilated sheds, with fresh water (chill taken off) in yards 

 good troughs that will not chafe or injure stock. Peed regularly, grad- 

 ually but speedily getting them on full feed. For economic and best re- 

 sults feed in quantities that they will clean up at each meal. Having 

 access to good clover, or clover and timothy hay, water and salt at all 

 times. 



One man will feed and care for eighty or one hundred steers. For a 

 l)unch of well-bred, smooth, two-year-old steers, the period of finishing 

 will be about one hundred and fifty days. It will take sixty bushels of 

 corn to each steer and about one ton of hay. We would presume that the 

 question does not confine us to a ration of corn alone, and would there- 

 fore substitute for about one eighth of the corn its equivalent in wheat, 

 bran and oil meal, which will give better balanced ration. 



During the last fifty days of the finishing period, when their teeth 

 become sore and appetites not so sharp, the grain should be ground, 

 either corn or cob meal. Vov profit, hogs must necessarily follow 

 steers. One hundred or one hundred and twenty-five pound shoat. 

 or lean hog, to each steer. Gain on steers per day each two pounds; 

 gain on hogs per head, two thirds pounds per day. 



