4O2 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



the period of feeding and vice versa. The less fitness 

 possessed by the animals for making a high finish, the 

 shorter relatively should be the feeding period and the 

 higher the degree of such fitness, the more may it be pro- 

 longed under normal conditions, as high finish usually in- 

 sures a high selling value. 



The difference between the price paid for animals 

 when bought for fattening and when sold as finished, 

 probably exercises a greater influence on returns than any 

 single influence which bears on the fattening process. The 

 difference between the buying and selling price to insure 

 profit from fattening animals, especially sheep and swine, is 

 influenced by the character of the animals, the cost of 

 foods and the nature of the feeding. In this very com- 

 plicated and many-sided problem, it will be found that 

 the better the class of animals, the younger they are, the 

 cheaper the foods and the cheaper the system of finishing, 

 the narrower may be the margin of difference between 

 buying and selling values. Finishing on grass with a 

 supplement of concentrates is usually cheaper than finish- 

 ing on dry food (see p. 397). With dry fodders worth 

 % to y 2 cent a pound, and concentrates at i cent 

 a pound, some net profit should be made when the 

 margin of difference between the buying and sell- 

 ing prices is i cent per pound live weight. Considerable 

 profit should result when it is 1*4 cents and a good profit 

 when it is i l / 2 cents. 



Baby beef. During recent years the production of 

 what is termed "baby" beef has increased materially. The 

 discussion of the question involves the consideration of the 

 following: (i) What is baby beef? (2) The objects 

 sought in growing it and (3) where and how it should be 

 grown ? 



Baby beef may be defined as beef made from animals 

 subsequently to the milk period and not yet two years 

 old. The animals are kept growing rapidly from birth 

 and are then marketed in a high condition of flesh, more 



