12 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



we must either raise more corn or feed a higher price product, or feed fewer 

 cattle. The cost of transportation is no less, but rather more on the whole, 

 as the roads are taking longer time to move stock, which gives a propor- 

 tionate greater shrink, and often a lower price on the market. When in 

 addition to this we meet the close combination of prices on the market, that 

 we have been getting the past two years, the only wonder is, that anyone 

 has the nerve to ' 'go against" the proposition of feeding cattle. The diffi- 

 culty seems to be in furnishing the kind of cattle wanted. One year ago 

 pens were full of heavy choice cattle. They were produced at the request of 

 the packers. The demand for all kinds of meat was good. The price on 

 the block was a little lower, if any, than that of the preceding year, but 

 thousands of cattle were sold that did no more than pay for the corn they 

 had eaten. Can you blame a man for thinking he is "held up" when he 

 gets back only enough money to pay his corn bill, and has to lose the cost 

 price on his steers, and interest on his money, risk of loss by accident and 

 death as well as his labor, at the same time see this beef sell to the consumer 

 at practically the same price as when he was receiving enough for his cattle 

 to make him a good profit? You will sav that today these cattle are bring, 

 ing good prices. It may be true, they probably are making a little money, 

 but let a few loads too many arrive every day for a month, and see what 

 happens. Mr. Packer must have something with which to hammer prices, 

 and he selects the most convenient tool at hand. The class of cattle known 

 as good cattle should bring relatively a steady price, they make a staple 

 product, and should be classed as such in the market of the world. 



The question today is how to make feeding profitable, and again secure 

 for the business the standing lost during the two years passed. The first 

 step in this direction must be that of securing better bred animals. 



Mr. John Gosling, or "Uncle John" as he is more popularly known, in 

 referring to this question, says: ' 'Remember that flesh is bred on animals 

 (it cannot be fed on, at least to any great degree) and that fat is fed on. 

 Then remember, also, that big bone goes with big flesh and small bone with 

 fat." This coming from a man who is undoubtedly a master of the art 

 which tells from outside appearances the flesh qualities of a bullock, gives 

 great value to the opinion. You must breed for flesh; you can feed on fat. 



The successful feeder must in the future look more closely to the quality 

 of the cattle he secures for his feed yard. More attention must be given to 

 the quality of sires used. The great amount of trash ordinarily seen in all 

 the markets should cease to be, and the good ones made into a paying prod- 

 uct. The differance between the good and poor was never more apparent 

 than at the present time. Never in the history of the cattle trade have bet- 

 ter animals been produced, and never so many that are utterly impossible 

 of any good to any one even with the best of care and feed. There are 

 others that could and undoubtedly would have been fed into prime animals, 

 if the feeders of the country had not lost all confidence in the outcome of the 

 market. 



Here is the real difficulty. One season finds light inferior stuff, with no 

 breeding, with nothing in their favor, selling for almost as much as the well 

 finished fancy bullock, and perhaps within a twelve months, as at the pres- 

 ent time, you find these conditions completely reversed. Is there any way 

 to better regulate these unequal conditions? They can be bettered? Yes; 



