PROGRESSIVE BEEF CATTLE RAISING 

 PART I. 



The Function 



Beef cattle are ' the Keystone- of' live 

 Position of stock farming. They fit into the farm 



Cattle in the economy more perfectly than any 

 System of other animal because they require less 



Farming labor for their care, they are less sub- 



ject to disease, they consume cheap 

 roughages and high priced concentrates in proportions 

 better suited to ordinary farm rotations, and their prod- 

 uct is less subject to speculative and seasonal fluctuations 

 than any other class of meat animals. Beef cattle take 

 less fertility from the farm when they are marketed than 

 any other major farm product. Grain can be sold for 

 cash as can the better quality of hay, but low grade hay, 

 cane, corn stalks, and pasture have a very limited and 

 unremunerative market. The direct sale of any of them 

 increases the costs in harvesting and marketing and 

 reduces the producing value of the land to such an 

 extent that few farmers can get a proper return for it. 

 Cattle supply the necessary market for both crops and 

 farm labor, and through manure retain or even increase 

 the richness, mellowness, life and waterholding capacity of 

 the soil. Cattle feeding is the ideal operation from the 

 standpoint of permanence of farming, of acquiring a 

 comprehensive farm equipment, and of fully employing 

 farm labor the year around. 



Cattle were the first animals 

 Origin and domesticated by man for purely agri- 



Kinds of cultural purposes. They were kept 



Cattle for their meat and hides only in the 



earlier times, but later were milked 

 and still later used for draft purposes. Unfortunately the 

 kind of cattle that are best for beef. are not best for 



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