GENERAL PROBLEMS IN BEEF PRODUCTION 



463 



production it would be passing strange if they did not excel for that 

 purpose. 



723. Amount of feed consumed. Occasionally the claim is yet ad- 

 vanced that well-bred cattle eat less than natives or scrubs. This opinion 

 is not substantiated by feeding trials nor is it generally held by owners 

 of pure-bred or high-grade stock, who believe rather that the well-bred 

 and well-formed animal has a larger capacity to consume feed and con- 

 vert it economically into meat. 



724. Fattening steers of the various market grades. The most extensive 

 trial carried on to determine the value of beef breeding in fattening 

 cattle is that of Mumford at the Illinois Station, 24 who fed 16 steers of 

 each of six different market grades the same ration for 179 days. Lot I, 

 fancy selected feeders, were of excellent beef type and conformation and 

 carried nearly 100 per ct. of beef blood. As it was desired that the steers 

 in each lot weigh 900 to 1,000 Ibs. when placed on feed, the animals in 

 the higher grades were naturally the youngest, for well-bred and wejl- 

 developed steers mature earlier and reach a given weight sooner than do 

 scrubs. Thus the steers in Lot I were the youngest steers in the trial, 

 being only 2 years old at the time of marketing. Lot II, choice feeders, 

 were high-grade beef steers possessing large frames and averaging about 

 6 months older than Lot I. Lot III, good feeders, did not show the 

 quality so manifest in Lots I and II, tho beef blood still predominated 

 and the steers were of better type than the average feeders offered on 

 the central markets. Lot IV, medium feeders, were 3-year olds of mixed 

 breeding, tho carrying some beef blood, and showing coarseness and 

 angularity. Lot V, common feeders, showed little evidence of beef blood. 

 They were rather coarse boned and large headed, were plain thruout, 

 and all show r ed a lack of quality and conformation. They were the result 

 of indiscriminate breeding and the use of inferior grade bulls. Lot VI, 

 inferior feeders, were scrubs showing no beef blood and were inferior in 

 quality and conformation. 



The results secured in the trial are summarized in the following table : 



Fattening steers of the various market grades 



"111. Bui. 90. 



