CATTLE PRODUCTION 



55 



it is marketed. Calves should be accustomed to grain before they are weaned and 

 must be fed continuously on rations that will prevent shrinkage at any time. 

 Any shrinkage in baby beef production is expensive and lengthens the time 

 required to mature them. Good roughage such as clover or alfalfa hay, silage 

 during the winter months and abundant pasture during the 'summer, together 

 with corn, oil meal and other grains to give variety, where prices permit their 

 being used, should be supplied in a manner to keep the calves in a fat condition 

 as they develop. Liberal feeding is necessary for the reason that calves tend 

 to grow rather than fatten. Heifer calves tend to fatten more quickly than 

 steer calves. 



A type and finish desirable in baby beef production. 



Male calves should be castrated before they are weaned and this may be done 

 when the calf is less than one week old. Vaccination to prevent blackleg is 

 recommended. It is seldom possible to get spring calves ready for the baby 

 beef market before July of the second summer. More frequently they are not 

 marketed until the fall when they are approximately 18 months of age. 



General Care of the Breeding Beef Herd. Cows of the breeding beef 

 herd should be cared for in a manner to maintain them in the most economical 

 manner and at the same time keep them in a condition to produce strong, vigor- 

 ous calves that will develop rapidly while getting the benefit of nursing their 

 dams. Cows may be wintered at a more reasonable cost if bred to drop their 

 calves in the spring of the year. This is also regarded the best time to have 

 the calves dropped for the production of baby beef steers to be finished off at 

 two years of age. 



Where pasture is available it is more economical to secure growth and gains 

 on the part of calves during the summer than during the winter. Beef cows will 



