PURDUE UNIVERSITY 



Agricultural Experiment Station 



CIRCULAR No. 12. 



LAFAYETTE, INDIANA, MAY, 1908. 



BEEF PRODUCTION. 



II. 



METHODS OF BEEF PRODUCTION IN INDIANA. 



BY J. H. SKINNER AND W. A. COCHEL. 



The information reported in this circular is the result of an 

 investigation of the methods of beef production in Indiana, institu- 

 ted by the Animal Husbandry Department of Purdue Experiment 

 Station in 1906. A list of one hundred questions was sent to twenty- 

 five hundred of the most successful feeders in the state with a view 

 of securing information in regard to the extent of the business of 

 feeding cattle, the equipment used, and the methods of feeding in 

 vouge among feeders. In response to these inquiries, nine hundred 

 and twenty-nine replies were received. This inquiry covered a wide 

 range of subjects relating to cattle feeding operations so that the 

 information obtained relates to practically every phase of the in- 

 dustry, such as the number, class, and age of cattle on feed at 

 different seasons of the year; the cost of producing, maintaining 

 and finishing cattle; the cost of buying and finishing cattle under 

 local conditions; the relative profit accruing from the different 

 systems of management; the methods of wintering stockers; feed- 

 ing cattle on full feed; the question of feeds used, prices of feeds, 

 yield of crops, size of farms and rotation in use, effect on fertility 

 of soil, etc. 



This circular is an attempt to summarize the reports received 

 in such a way as to give Indiana feeders the benefit of the informa- 

 tion. The list of questions sent out by the Experiment Station 

 follows : 



