FIFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 341 



DEMAND FOR "BABY BEEF." 



One of the most-notable features of the year has been the unprecedented 

 demand for choice, well-bred, fat young cattle, called "baby beef," and at 

 no time was there a dull spot during the whole season for this class of young 

 cattle. Choice yearlings were in demand all the time and the best qualities 

 sold up among the top n-otchers. There is no question but "baby beef" has 

 come to stay, and it is as popular with consumers abroad as in this country. 



The increased demand for improved qualities of cattle for the feed lots 

 of the corn belt is apparent, and is re-establishing the prestige of Chicago 

 as a feeder market. The old-time cattle feeding prestige of Illinois and 

 nearby states is also thus being re-establishe^i , and the fertility of the soil, 

 that vital element on which depends their prosperity and which was de- 

 pleted by grain growing for market during the days of free grass range 

 cattle competition, is thus being restored. 



A BRIGHT PROSPECT FOR GOOD CATTLE. 



The coming year seems to hold out bright prospects for choice cattle. 

 Prices for cattle of a good degree of quality the last half of this year must 

 have been encouraging to the feeders, who, starting their work on a well 

 bred class of cattle, finished them to a condition attractive to the buyers of 

 good beef and export cattle at Chicago. 



This seems to again urge upon the cattle producers not only of the farms, 

 but of every range section of this country, the remarkable advantage of 

 which they may avail themselves in their business, by increasing the use of 

 pure-bred breeding stock in their herds. 



Results of good breeding in live stock for the market have at no time 

 been more marked than during the last two or three years, and they teach 

 a lesson to the producer that he should not fail to heed the coming year. 



THE farmers' GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY. 



It is an era of very low prices for high-class breeding stock, and the most 

 favorable time that farmers and cattlemen have yet known to secure cattle 

 of most excellent blood to stock their farms and improve their breeding 

 herds. Prices for this pure-bred stock have now fallen too low to long con- 

 tinue at their present level. The misfortune of the owners of herds of pure- 

 bred cattle that have been established at great expense, in having to accept 

 low prices for their young stock, is the good fortune of the farmers if they 

 avail themselves of the opportunity. 



CHOICE BLOOD IS ECONOMY OF FEED. 



The introduction of choice blood of any standard beef breed into the 

 cattle of any section means economy of feed and far better results in weight 

 and quality of the beef productions of that section when ready for market. 

 It is a process that permits marketing prime beef cattle a year, or even two 

 years, earlier than the old-fashioned methods. It is a money making busi- 

 ness proposition that no set of progressive farmers should fail to take 

 advantage of at once. Every year that the use of inferior or ordinary breed- 

 ing stock is continued is time, feed and money lost. The increased demand 

 for high-bred stock will come, and with it prices must advance. The 



