342 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



As the corn is priced at the yard, we must also price the finished 

 steer at the yard, which will be at one cent margin, which would give an 

 even remuneration for interest on money invested and labor performed. 

 In making our estimates we offset the experience of yardage and salt 

 against the value of the barnyard manure that reverts back to the soil 

 to grow more corn. 



To more fully illustrate, we will take one steer of the bunch, weight, 

 say eleven hundred pounds; price, three and one quarter cents (the price 

 in this part of the State the present season for choice), and make an 

 estimate: 



Feedery steer, 1.100 pounds, 314 cents per pound $35.75 



Commission for buying and bunching 50 



Corn, GO bushels at 30 cents per bushel 18.00 



Hay 5.00 



Insurance risk 2 per cent 70 



Interest on money invested at 7 per cent 1.05 



Labor in care and feeding 2.00 



Cost of steer at close of finished period $63.00 



Finished steer's original weight 1,100 pounds. 



Gain during finishing period 300 pounds. 



Weight of finished steer 1.400 pounds. 



Price per pound for finished steer. 4^/4 cents $59.50 



Gain in pork, 100 pounds at 3i4 cents per pound 3.50 



The receipt for finished steer $63.00 



The figures show an even balance. However, we are of the opinion 

 that there is a greater balance in favor of the farmer feeder in the value 

 of fertilizers, as against selling the corn on the market. We therefore con- 

 clude that the feeder should expect one cent margin, but ought to have 

 one and one quarter cents margin for a good investment. However, all 

 he* receives over one cent margin adds that much to the glory of the 

 farmer and feeder who owns Iowa, land and raises and feeds well bred 

 stock. 



./. Elerick. Doud's Station, loiia. 



The cattle business of this country is one of the leading branches of 

 agricultural industry and should be handled in such a manner as to con- 

 tinually improve our cattle by using nothing but pure bred males, thereby 

 giving better steers for the feed lot. The serious decline in the stock 

 market the past year, the corresponding high price of steers the forepart 

 of last year gives us food for thought. High priced corn ha'd much to 

 do with these high prices, but cattlemen themselves did much to help 

 the downward tendency by rushing their cattle on overstocked markets 

 of all grades from canner to the finished steer. The buyers took advan- 



