FEEDING BEEF CATTLE 215 



the cornfield to the pasture and is fed on the stalk. 

 If little or any grain has been given previously, only 

 a small feed at first is hauled out to them. As 

 rapidly as may be done safely the corn may be in- 

 creased, until in a month or six weeks the steers are 

 on full feed. From now on they may refuse much of 

 the forage. Where this forage is of value, snapped 

 corn should be substituted for half of the ration. 



If the pasture is short, at the beginning of 

 winter, shocked corn may be used for roughage. 

 When the pasture is no longer available, protein 

 feeds must be used, and some shelled or ground corn 

 used in connection with them. Under this system 

 of feeding, pigs should be permitted to follow the 

 steers, else much valuable grain will be wasted. Not 

 only will this method admit of steady growth of the 

 pigs, but these animals will practically grow up to 

 marketable finish, thus giving a double chance of 

 profit from the use of the grain. 



FEEDING FULL-GROWN CATTLE 



Older Steers Are Still Marketed. In some sec- 

 tions cheap lands are yet the rule and more pasture 

 is available than could be used economically under 

 the tillage system utilized. Under these circum- 

 stances older steers are preferred. They are bought 

 of neighboring farmers at all ages and at small cost 

 and turned on pasture where they are forced to shift 

 for themselves. So placed they grow slowly, may 

 or may not keep steadily on a gain, but in time at- 

 tain size and foundation for fattening. 



