Factors in Steer Feeding. 



375 



carcass«5 reported. Gathering the data into a table we have the 

 following: 



Dressed weigU of carcass of different breeds of cattle — Various Sta- 

 tions. 



Breed. 



Av. 



ress< 

 weight. 



Hereford 



RedPoUed 



Aberdeen- Angus 



Swiss 



Short-horn 



Galloway 



Devon 



Ayrshire 



Sussex 



Holstein 



Jersey 



Native 



Per et. 



65.0 



G5.2 

 64.8 

 64.8 

 64.4 

 63.9 

 63.6 

 63.3 

 63.0 

 62.6 

 60.5 

 60.2 



The data referring to live weight at the time of slaughter and 

 daily gain from birth have already been discussed; let us now 

 consider the dressed weights of cattle of the several breeds. The 

 Eed Polls give the largest percentage of dressed carcass to live 

 weight, but the figures are the average for two animals only, 

 and the best of these is lower than the best of the representatives 

 of five other breeds. Were as many animals included as there 

 are of the Short-horns, for example, they would no doubt rank 

 lower in the list. (See Article 563. ) 



The last column of the table is one of great significance and 

 worthy of study by all interested in the problem under discussion. 

 We find that steers of the so-called beef breeds yield from 64 

 to 65 per cent, of dressed carcass to live weight, while Native 

 steers and those of the dairy breeds dress from 60 to 63 per 

 cent. Jersey and Native steers di-ess the lowest. On the aver- 

 age, eleven Hereford steers fed and slaughtered at four Experi- 

 ment Stations yielded eight per cent, more dressed carcass to 

 live weight than did nine Native steers fed at three Experiment 

 Stations. The weights of the native and dairy-bred steers are so 

 great that we may be sure they were fully as matuie and as well 



