348 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



were known the solution would be easy, but, as many of us can testify, 

 such is not the case. 



In the selling market are four well defined grades of beef cattle: the 

 choice, good, medium, and poor. In one of these four market divisions 

 the feeder must place his finished product and his profit or loss be esti- 

 mated from the price obtained. This being true, it will be well to exam- 

 ine these divisions a little as a help toward selecting your feeders. 



In the division of choice cattle you will find only the very best bred 

 cattle — those as good or better than registered stock and always a 

 selected bunch and fed to a finish. They must be prime in every way — 

 in breeding, style, finish, flesh, fat. form and weight. Cattle that occupy 

 this exalted place on the market are as a rule bred and fed by the same 

 individual and pushed from calfhood up, and so need not be considered 

 at this time. In the next two divisions come the bulk of the cattle sold, 

 the principal difference being a matter of flesh and finish, the medium 

 cattle covering a wider range and not dressing out quite so large a per 

 cent when slaughtered. In the poor column a feeder should never be 

 found, for they are invariably money losers. A person can hardly be 

 called a feeder unless he can make a medium fat steer out of a poor 

 stocker. 



We find then the large majority of feed yard cattle are sold on the 

 market for what are known as useful cattle, and to make these cattle 

 with least possible expense is the business of the feeder. 



It is impossible to say where to buy your feeders, for if any one 

 place were known to be the best we would all try to be there at once. 

 There is, however, a growing tendency among buyers to use the market 

 centers for this purpose, and on the whole it is a good plan with many 

 I)oints in favor. You can get what you want and just when you want it. 

 Have more to select from, and, therefore, an evener bunch of cattle. It 

 takes less time and may not cost any more. There are drawbacks to 

 rhis method as well, and not every man can be sure of getting just what 

 he was looking for the first time he tries. A word of caution may not be 

 out of place. 



Cattle will look different confined in a close pen than at home in a 

 large yard or open field. There is more danger of overlooking some 

 physical weakness in the short time you have made up your mind or not 

 to buy. 



You may not have the right valuation of the cattle you are looking 

 at. A countryman is often known by his impetuosity. Don't be in a 

 hurry. You have more time than money at your disposal just now. The 

 cattle may be in no condition to buy at all for the reason of an extra fill. 

 You can supply water at home cheaper than you can pay for it there. 

 Sixty pounds of water make a very material difference in the gains you 

 make during the feeding period. 



If you do not feel entirely competent to buy for yourself, go to some 

 reliable commission firm to help you select the cattle, buy them for you 

 and see they are properly loaded on cars. Nine times out of ten it will 

 be money well spent. If you are buying in the country the same points 

 are to be observed, but it will be necessary to use more care in order to 



