LECTURE XXXI. 



THE PRODUCTION OF BABY BEEF. 



The production of baby beef is a feeding industry of com- 

 paratively recent origin. Several years ago the custom was 

 to keep steers until they were four or five years of age before 

 marketing them. There is little demand at present, however, 

 for old, heavy cattle, and as a rule we find that feeders now 

 market their cattle at from one to three years of age. 



The production of baby beef may be divided into two 

 classes: first, the high grade calf, forced from birth and 

 finished for the market at an age of eleven to sixteen months ; 

 and second, the same kind of calves, but kept growing and 

 gaining the first year and finished at twenty or twenty-two 

 months of age. The former method is not so common as 

 the latter, and is not so successfully managed by the average 

 feeder. 



In entering upon such a system one should have well- 

 bred calves. If the animals are to be marketed at eleven or 

 twelve months of age, they should be dropped in the fall, dur- 

 ing October and November, and be allowed to suck the cows, 

 if possible, for six or seven months. By having the calves 

 come at this time they can be weaned in the spring and 

 turned on good pasture. In addition to the grass they may 

 be fed a grain ration composed of corn, oats, bran and oil 

 meal. If they have access to clover pasture a large propor- 

 tion of the ration may be corn; in fact, the oats, bran and 

 oil meal may be omitted entirely the first month or two of 

 the feeding period. They can be kept gaining nicely on a 

 grain ration of shelled corn, or corn and cob meal, fed in 

 conjunction with clover pasture. Later, or during the last 

 two or three months, oats, bran and oil meal should be added 

 to the grain ration. About half a pound per head daily of 

 oil meal is sufficient at the beginning, 'and gradually increase 

 this quantity until each is receiving two or three pounds. 

 Many other feeds, such as gluten meal and dried blood, may 

 be fed economically when the animals are intended for the 



