PROGRESSIVE BEEF CATTLE RAISING 

 PART IV. 



The Production of Beef Cattle 



The success of growing cattle for 

 Foundation the market depends in a large degree 



Blood for Beef on the kind of calves that are pro- 

 Production duced. Unless the right foundations 



in blood and type are laid, no amount 

 of feeding by the professional feeder or skill in killing and 

 cutting by the packer can make up for the original de- 

 ficiency. Hence it is up to the breeder of feeding cattle 

 to use the right kind of bulls and continually to breed up 

 the females of his herd. Unless proper mating is made at 

 the start, choice to prime steers are rarely, if ever, pro- 

 duced. 



The producer of range cattle has 

 The Problems many problems to face due to short- 

 of the Range ages of feed and water, that make his 

 Cattle Breeder questions of special importance. The 



chief difficulty to engage his attention 

 is the prevention of deterioration in size, and he must 

 constantly introduce heavy boned bulls to keep his stock 

 from "running out." It is the belief of students of this 

 situation that the chief remedy to be applied is not 

 through breeding but through feed, since the range is 

 an abnormal environment for cattle bred to excel under 

 the conditions of Scotland, England and the American 

 cornbelt. The deficiency seems to be in the concentrates, 

 that is, the protein and mineral matter, and for this pur- 

 pose legumes should be introduced wherever possible, 

 such as lespedeza, alfalfa, or any other clovers that make 

 a good start. To tide over the feed shortages of snow- 

 bound winters and extra dry summers, it will pay the 

 ranchman to grow corn, kafir, cane, sunflowers, or other 

 crops that will make silage, and put them away in pit 

 silos that can be dug at convenient spots for watering and 

 feeding. These will be found very useful in ordinary 

 seasons, and reserves may be maintained for three or four 



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