LECTURE XXXV. 



FATTENING STEERS ON GRASS. 



Throughout the corn belt the major portion of the cattle 

 feeding has been done during the winter months. There are 

 many reasons for doing so in preference to summer feeding. 

 With the crib full of corn a man naturally seeks some way 

 of disposing of the same. The farmer also has more time 

 to care for the stock during the fall and winter months than 

 during the summer. These things in the past seem to have 

 settled the policy that during the fall and winter months was 

 the most convenient time to make beef. 



To the man who has tried both methods it is not neces- 

 sary to argue the matter. He knows too well that a combina- 

 tion of blue grass pasture and corn is the most economical 

 method yet known to the American agriculturist for the pro- 

 duction of beef of the very highest quality. All of our feed- 

 ing experiments verify the above statement. 



Recent experiments conducted by the Iowa Experiment 

 Station, also those by other experiment stations, show very 

 clearly that a pound of gain on the beef animal can be pro- 

 duced in summer for less than two-thirds of the cost of pro- 

 ducing the same during the fall and winter months on the 

 same quality of cattle. In these tests the corn consumed 

 was valued at 50c per bushel, and the pasture charged at 

 the rate of $1.15 per month per acre. 



One of the most vital periods in the life of a steer that 

 is to be finished on grass, is the changing from the dry feed 

 lot to the pasture. Right here is where many men lose a 

 month's feed, and in some instances give their cattle such a 

 serious set-back that they never make satisfactory gains 

 thereafter. Too much care and judgment cannot be exer- 

 cised by the feeder at this time. He must accomplish the 

 change without any loss or shrinkage in his cattle. In fact 

 he should aim to maintain his former daily gains, and such 

 a thing is possible. 



In making this change no one set of instructions will 

 apply to all conditions. The previous management of the 



