634 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



many years prepared corn for feeding cattle that have reached this age 

 by grinding the corn, cob and all, not that the cob is of any particular 

 value as a feed, but it keeps the grain from lying too closely in the 

 stomach, and I believe they will digest and assimilate the corn better if 

 prepared in this manner. The introduction of a small amount of ensilage 

 given each day fresh from the silo will add greatly to the ration and give 

 variety as well. I wish to impress upon those not accustomed to feeding 

 calves that they will not handle any great amount of roughage while so 

 young, and to make calves under twelve months of age do their best, you 

 must not expect them to do the scavenger work of the farm by turning 

 them out to clean up stalk fields, meadows and fence rows. Leave this 

 for the older cattle. The cows from which the calves have been weaned 

 can do this nicely. Provide a well fenced feed lot, with good drainage; 

 give them access to a well ventilated shed or barn. It is not necessary 

 to build expensive barns for this work; all that is needed is something 

 substantial in the way of a building that will house them comfortably in 

 times of storm. Provide the building with plenty of windows, high up 

 on the sides, for light, and large doors opening to the south, and be sure 

 they are always open. A better way would be to provide good, large 

 openings, and leave the doors off entirely. Right here let me call your 

 attention to the water supply. A tank placed in a convenient sheltered 

 place Is an important part of the equipment. I like to have this tank 

 drawing its water from a large supply tank, so that the water is always 

 there. Roll a barrel of salt in the feed lot, stake it down so it will not 

 roll, and saw a hole in the staves large enough to admit the heads of the 

 calves in reaching for the salt. 



Don't let them want for anything. The wants of your cattle will take 

 dollars out of your pocket. 



As these calves reach twelve months of age, we are coming to the 

 spring time, and we are all glad for this, for what is better than to see 

 the trees put forth their green leaves and the fields respond to the falling 

 rain and the warm rays of the sun. At this time, there should be a 

 separation of the heifers from the steers, unless this has been done at 

 weaning time, in case the heifers were to have been retained for breed- 

 ing purposes. But as these calves were intended for the butcher, it is 

 absolutely necessary to separate them at this time. The heifers have 

 another mission to fulfill, and they become an annoyance in the feed 

 lot which prevents the best of gains, and I believe it is just as well to 

 turn the heifers over to the butcher at from twelve to fourteen months of 

 age. This will give you the advantage of a May or June market, which 

 is usually good. Your heifers, if w^ell cared for, will weigh around 800 

 pounds, and command nearly the top of the market at this age and 

 weight. I would like to add just a little more in regard to selling these 

 heifers so young. They do not go on and grow beef as do the steers, but 

 tend more to fat-forming instead of muscle-building, and while they will 

 keep on gaining in weight, it is more of a laying on of fat, and they 

 are soon loaded down with a surplus of fat that the butcher does not 

 want and the consumer does not care to buy. This is why fat heifers do 

 not bring as much as steers. To avoid this condition, an early marketing 

 of the heifers is advisable. 



