FEEDING BEEF CATTLE 269 



slowly prior to being turned on to the self-feeder. An experienced 

 Illinois cattle man gives as his opinion of the self-feeder that " it 

 is more reliable than a careless man and more economical of labor 

 than even a careful man." Under favorable conditions, self-fed 

 steers are likely to eat more grain and make larger gains than those 

 fed by hand, but it requires slightly more feed to produce a given 

 gain with the self-feeder. 19 



The feeding of beef cattle will be considered under the following 

 heads : Baby beef, yearlings, two-year-olds, and older cattle. 



FIG. 65. A Mississippi-raised "baby beef" calf. Note the wonderful thickness of flesh. 



(Ward.) 



Baby Beef. The production of baby beef (Fig. 65) is fol- 

 lowed mainly by feeders in the corn belt. It has several advantages 

 over feeding of older cattle ; there is always a good market demand 

 at high prices for this class of steers, weighing 1000 to 1200 pounds 

 at an age of 16 to 18 months, and the feeder receives quick returns 

 for his investment. Baby beeves are likely to dress somewhat lower 

 than older cattle, but they furnish more valuable meat and have 

 less inedible fat than the others, and have no coarseness about the 

 neck, brisket, and chuck. To offset these advantages, it requires a 

 higher grade of cattle and more skill and care on the part of the 

 feeder to produce baby beef, and there is a greater chance for 



19 Illinois Bulletin 142. 



