Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 101 



also. As it is no longer profitable for the farmer to first grow a steer 

 and then fatten him, the growing and fattening processes must be com- 

 bined, and the cattle sent to market under 24 months of age; in other 

 words, beef production must be placed very largely on a baby-beef basis. 



Clay, Robinson and Company, of Chicago, in a communication 

 to the writer, had the following to say concerning baby-beef produc- 

 tion: "There has been marked increase in the production of this class 

 of cattle for the reason that the public demands them. For years the 

 tendency has been toward the maturing of cattle at a younger and 

 younger age. It was not so many years ago when an animal was not 

 considered ready for the market under four years old, but evolution in 

 beef production started, and the most desirable beeves in the market 

 today are prime, fat yearlings." 



Baby beeves make economical gains. — As showing the possibilities 

 for profit in the production of baby beeves, the Kansas Experiment 

 Station ^ fed 130 grade Shorthorn, Hereford, and Angus calves that had 

 just been weaned, and during seven months' feeding secured an average 

 monthly gain of 56 pounds per head. The average weight at the 

 beginning was 408 pounds; when sent to market seven months later, 

 the average weight was 800 pounds, and the age was a little over one 

 year. All except 32 head were heifers. The remarkable feature of 

 this demonstration was the small amount of feed consumed. It re- 

 quired only 503 pounds of grain and 509 pounds of hay to make 100 

 pounds gain in weight. The best record was made by 10 skim-milk 

 calves that were fed alfalfa hay and corn. They consumed only 439 

 pounds of grain and 436 pounds of hay for every 100 pounds of gain. 

 When older cattle are fed, it usually requires about twice these amounts 

 of grain and roughage to secure 100 pounds of gain. 



E. M. Cassady and Sons, of Whiting, Iowa, made a test of the 

 cost and rate of gains made by Hereford steers started on feed as calves 

 and yearlings. These steers were of the same breeding, having been 

 bred on the Cassady farm from the same sire and dams. The calves 

 weighed 475 pounds when put on feed, and were charged at $6.00 per 

 cwt.; the yearlings weighed 775 pounds, and were charged at $5.70 per 

 cwt. Although the calves were fed for a longer period than the year- 

 lings, the average cost of 100 pounds of gain was $10.80 for the calves, 

 as compared with $15.65 for the yearlings. The calves made a profit 

 of $20 per head, and the yearlings made a profit of $14. 



In three years work, including three trials, the Indiana Experi- 

 ment Station found that when feed prices were such that it cost $7.74 

 to produce 100 pounds of gain on baby beeves, it cost $9.09 to make 

 the same gain on yearlings, and $9.37 on two-year-olds. 



Kan. Bui. 113. 



