n/ feeder Steers in Western Nebraska 



bv sonic cattlemen to be during' September and October, after 



the flies have gone and when the weather is cool and the grass 



mature. This was no doubt true during the time of unlimited 



range, but in the large percentage of pastures now the grass 



is short before fall arid fast gains are not possible. As evidence 



of the truth of this the fact may be cited that it was not an 



uncommon practice to ship "beef cattle from western Nebraska 



ranges 20 years ago that sold on the market at the same price 



as grain-fed cattle, but shipping "beef" steers off grass has gone 



out of date because fat steers are no longer produced on the 



western Nebraska range as in the years gone by. This bears 



directly on the relative gains of these summers. Steers on 



pasture during' May. June, and -July should show a larger gain 



per day than steers on pasture 1 from April 1 to November 1. 



The two-year-old steers made slower gains than the yearlings. 



but they were on pasture as late in the fall and a month earlier 



in the spring than the yearlings. It is quite probable that the 



month of April considerably reduced the daily average. The 



condition during the third summer was even more unfavorable. 



Practically all the pasture land was burned over March ii(>. 



The steers were held on forage till May 4, so that the pasture 



might have an opportunity to recuperate. Tho the grass was 



thin and short it may have been in condition to make faster 



gains during the early summer months than if it had not been 



burned. The steers were on pasture from May 4 to August r>. a 



short period favoring fast gains without any period of 



shrinkage. 



Another factor worthy of consideration is w hat in 1910 the 

 spring weights were taken after the cattle had all run together 

 in a field of several acres in exlent for 47 days and had shrunk 

 greatly. The shrinkage per steer in Lot 4 amounted to 74 Ibs. 

 It is probable that the spring shrinkage, which usually comes 

 after the cattle are on grass, came this time before they were 

 put in 1lie summer pasture. Also during the first two seasons 



