THIRTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XII 635 



We will continue the feeding of the steers, for they will go right 

 on growing more beef, and prime beef. The manner of feeding will have 

 been gradually changed. Instead of giving three feeds of grain a day, 

 as at weaning time, the change will have been made to twice a day, and 

 now to once a day, and this feed to be given in the evening. They have 

 grown in size and can consume a larger amount of roughage, and we 

 find they are consuming more of all kinds of feeds. It is an important 

 matter in feeding young growing steers that they be given an increasing 

 ration to keep up to their rapid development. The grass is now mak- 

 ing its appearance in an adjoining pasture, and we will open the pasture 

 gate and let them have a nip of grass. Do not wait until the grass has 

 grown up large, so that they can go out and take on a big fill of grass in 

 a short time. Rather let them have the pasture shortly after the appear- 

 ance of grass, and let them come with the grass. Now, here is where corn 

 and cob meal comes in so nicely, to help absorb the succulent, juicy 

 grasses. The oats can be omitted; the oil meal can be dropped out of the 

 ration. But keep the hay still in the feed racks, so they can get it at 

 will. Perhaps the supply of ensilage is used up, and it can be discontinued 

 as the grass begins to grow. Through May and June we will make beef 

 rapidly. I have made steers gain three and one-half pounds per day 

 for these months, with nothing but corn, grass and clover hay. With 

 the approaching days of summer we will need to protect these steers from 

 the ravages of the flies and the increasing heat of the day. We will slide 

 all the windows of the . shed or barn wide open, and tear open some 

 burlap sacks that contained the oil meal, and tack them over all the 

 openings. Make a blanket of the same material and hang in the doorway, 

 so that when the cattle enter, the blanket will act as a brush on their 

 backs, and whip the flies back. You will flnd they will spend much of 

 their time through the warm summer months in this well-ventilated shed, 

 and you will be well repaid for your trouble. As the autumn approaches, 

 you wull have new corn fresh from the field to gradually take the place 

 cf the old. Begin feeding a little new corn by cutting stalk and all while 

 it is yet quite green, and feed it in the pasture in addition to the old 

 corn, and finally, as the new corn ripens, gradually change them over to 

 new corn altogether. Now, to give a nice finish, we will add about two 

 pounds of cottonseed or oil meal per head daily. As Christmas-time ap- 

 proaches, we will have finished our w^ork with this lot of cattle. Christ- 

 mas-time is the time of the year that the whole world is looking for a good 

 roast of beef or a choice steak, and we will consign these prime bullocks 

 to market, to prepare and distribute to the ever-increasing holiday trade 

 for choice beef. 



THE PRACTICAL MANAGEMENT OF A HOG FARM. 



BY H. T. MOKGAN. 



(In the Iowa Homestead.) 

 Swine raisers have been surfeited with advice as to the manner in 

 which they should conduct their business and it is not the thought of 

 the writer to indulge in any "theories," but rather to present some of 



