CATTLE PRODUCTION 47 



where it can be produced, is one of the most valuable feeds for supplementing 

 pastures that become scant or are too limited in area for a given number of 

 cattle. 



Turning Cattle Onto Pasture. Cattle not accustomed to grass should 

 be gradually changed to it. This is true in the case of turning onto any luxuriant 

 grass pasture and especially should one be careful in turning cattle onto clover or 

 alfalfa. It overcomes the difficulty and danger of serious loss from bloating and a 

 good plan is to turn cattle to grass for only an hour or less the first day after 

 they have been well filled on regular feed and the grass is free from dew or wet. 

 Allow them to remain on the pasture for a little longer time each succeeding 

 day until their systems have become accustomed to the grass as indicated by the 

 bowel condition when the danger is past and they may be allowed to remain on 

 pasture continuously. It is always a safe precaution to watch cattle closely 

 and be prepared to treat cases of bloat while they are being accustomed to 

 pasture. Having access to dry feed, hay or straw after coming off the pasture, 

 helps cattle to correct for themselves any abnormal conditions that might arise 

 from too much grass being eaten when first turned to pasture. 



Fattening Cattle on Grass. Best authorities agree that if cattle have 

 been grain fed during the winter with the idea of marketing them in early summer, 

 it is best not to turn them to pasture at all. Two and three year old cattle that 

 have been wintered largely on roughage will make gains on luxuriant pasture 

 that may be more profitable than gains made in any other manner. A lower price 

 is usually paid for grass- fat cattle than for corn- fed cattle and the character and 

 value of land and the cost of producing gains, should determine the policy of 

 utilizing the pasture land. Young cattle under two years of age which are to be 

 marketed for beef during or at the close of the pasture season, will require 

 continuous grain feeding. Older cattle in fair condition of flesh can be marketed 

 to good advantage by giving them a full grain ration in addition to pasture and 

 turning them off about the middle of July before the fly season or dry, hot weather 

 comes on. 



Corn is one of the best concentrates used in combination with pasture. 

 Shelled corn should be soaked 12 to 18 hours prior to feeding it to overcome 

 its dry and flinty nature at this season of the year. For young cattle and for older 

 ones that it is desirable to finish in the shortest possible time, the corn should 

 be fed with some concentrate like oil meal, cotton seed meal or gluten feed rich in 

 protein. Clover or alfalfa pasture make the rich protein feeds less necessary. 

 Steers fed corn on pasture should be followed by hogs which utilize the droppings 

 from the steers to a better advantage on pasture than they do in the feed lot. 



Fattening Cattle in the Feed Lot. In corn belt regions where the land 

 is practically all tillable and capable of growing large yields of corn and other 

 feeds adapted for fattening purposes, it is profitable to fatten steers in feed lots 

 during the winter months. Corn fed cattle, well finished, produce beef in the 

 largest quantities and of the best quality. Steers for fattening purposes are 

 purchased usually at the leading cattle markets and fed for periods ranging from 

 90 to 160 days. Much of the profit in fattening steers depends upon the type and 

 quality of steers selected and one's ability to buy them at the proper time and at 



