350 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



had begun slowly aivl increased their business by degrees they would 

 have made a success. 



For a beginner, I would recommend a few steers, say eighteen or 

 twenty, in order to lia\ e a carload. As to quality, that would depend on 

 the cost, but for a single carload I would want them of fair quality as 

 nearly even as possible in size, and from seven to eight hundred pounds 

 weight. If I had plenty of grass would buy in September, getting the 

 benefit of two months' pasture in the fall, being careful to supplement 

 it with a small feed of snapped corn through the month of October, 

 keeping them to a steady growth of at least fifty pounds per month. 

 Having for the carload of cattle from fifteen to twenty acres of corn cut 

 up in shocks, should begin to feed shock corn a number of days before 1 

 was ready to turn into the stalk field, getting a portion of the field husked 

 as early as possible to have the use of the stalks in the best condition, 

 which in central Iowa ought not to be later than November 1st. I would 

 then turn them in on the stalk field a few hours each day until the cattle 

 had most of the corn picked up, and then begin to add corn to their feed 

 with oil meal, beginning the oil meal at the rate of a poimd per day to 

 the steer until all were accustqmed to it, when I would give at the rate 

 of two pounds per day until well on grass. Have never found it profit- 

 able to feed more than two pounds in connection with corn, as corn is 

 the cheapest of all feeds for the bulk of the ration. 



When the stalk field was well picked over I would increase their 

 feed of snapped corn held for the purpose so long as there was any 

 profit to be made by keeping them in the stalks, after which I would feed 

 shock corn in quantity to give each animal about one peck of com per 

 day; feeding on the field if frozen and dry; keeping hogs away until the 

 cattle are done feeding. If muddy, would feed in racks, throwing out 

 refuse to make bedding and to provide a foundation to keep them out 

 of the mud. In the spring have at times raked stalks off the field into 

 the yard for this purpose. Handled in this way, I should expect the 

 cattle to gain from forty to fifty pounds per month during the winter, 

 owing to weather conditions, thrift of cattle, comfortable quarters, and 

 particularly good breeding, and plenty of good water to which access 

 should be had at all times, as well as salt. 



On May 1st we should have cattle w^eighing between one thousand 

 and eleven hundred pounds, and in prime condition, for four months 

 further feeding. 



To change from dry feed to grass without loss is another difficult 

 problem. I used to think I must save my pasture from early tramping, 

 but except in case of clover do not think it really necessary, so let them 

 run part of the day as soon as there is any grass, being careful to keep 

 them to their feed until there is grass enough to answer for roughness. 

 If clover pasture, keep in yard until the stalk with- the shape of the head 

 for bloom appears, which will ordinarily, in central Iowa, be about the 

 tenth or fifteenth of May. Would let them into the pasture but an hour 

 or two in dryest part of the day, for at least a week, when they will go 

 right along and eat from a peck to one third of a bushel of corn per day. 

 If I wished to crowd them, and corn was reasonable in price, would give 



