306 CATTLE-BREEDING. 



gained no less than three pounds per head for 

 each week of the same period.* The shelter 

 thus represented, in addition to the saving of 

 food, the amount of which is not accurately 

 specified, a gain of sixty pounds per week on 

 the thirty head, which certainly was sufficient 

 to more than justify the erection of such a 

 shed. 



The value of shelter for stock being fed for 

 market has, in addition, the element of keeping 

 the cattle growing. Periods of stagnation are 

 always more or less disadvantageous. Stock 

 kept out of doors through the winter find it 

 difficult to do more than merely maintain their 

 full weight even on very liberal feed, while the 

 same stock stabled nights, for half the time, 

 would show a substantial gain, and if kept in- 

 doors all the time a still greater gain. For 

 cattle intended for the block the margin of 

 profit has grown so very small of late years that 

 it is quite important to save all the time and all 

 the food possible, and two and a half year old 

 steers well sheltered and kept growing through 

 the winters will in most cases pay better than 

 almost any other class. And it is less impor- 

 tant what sort of a barn steers are kept in than 

 breeding stock, so long as their supply of pure 

 fresh air is not cut off. 



To return to breeding cattle, even where the 



* Quoted by Prof. Stewart, in " Feeding Animals," p. 84. 



