11 



83 per cent report no trouble from this pest; some trouble is reported 

 by 17 per cent. Of those who are bothered in this way, 33 per cent 

 report the use of coal tar disinfectant or dip, for ridding- their cattle 

 of lice. The use of home made preparations is reported by 55 per 

 cent. The other 12 per cent make no provision whatever to exter- 

 minate them. 



ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF PURE. WATER NECESSARY. 



Wells for the purpose of watering- cattle are reported by 58 per 

 cent of the feeders. Springs are available to 21 per cent and the 

 remainder depend upon ditches, creeks or natural ponds. This 

 shows that a large majority of cattle feeders appreciate the value 

 of a good source of pure water. Tank heaters are being- used by 30 

 per cent of the feeders who practice winter feeding. A few of the 

 remainder depend upon pumping water just as the cattle need it; 

 upon springs which never freeze up, or upon banking the water 

 tanks with saw dust, manure or some other substance to keep them 

 from freezing, but, taken as a whole, the great majority make no 

 provision whatever in regard to warming the water in winter. 



RAISING AND BUYING FEEDERS. 



In reporting upon the question of raising or buying feeders, it 

 is found that 42 per cent of the cattle feeders do not pretend to 

 produce any of their cattle; 52 per cent grow part of them and buy 

 the remainder, while only 6 per cent are really beef producers, that 

 is, breeding their own cattle and feeding them out. This agrees 

 with the generally accepted view that the cattle feeder is not, as a 

 rule, a cattle producer, or stating it in another way, the cattle pro- 

 ducer does not finish his own product. There seem to be two dis- 

 tinct classes of men engaged in the business; one class devoted to 

 the production of feeders whose problem is to grow them as cheaply 

 as possible without the use of concentrated feeds, in order to market 

 a large amount of grass and cheap, rough feeds in proportion to 

 grain; and the other class devoted solely to the fattening- of cattle, 

 buying feeders as cheaply as possible and using them chiefly to 

 market a large amount of corn in proportion to other feeds. 



BETTER CATTLE CAN BE PRODUCED THAN BOUGHT. 



It is generally accepted that the advantages in growing feeders 

 are that the cattle are better in quality and breeding, are more 

 quiet, and make better gains. Twelve per cent of the answers in- 

 dicate that cattle can be produced cheaper than they can be bought, 

 considering grade and quality, but the greatest advantage in 



