24 WISCONSIN BULLETIN 224 



cost of gain increases. Men who feed cattle for a long period 

 should be recompensed by a corresponding increase in the price 

 received per 100 pounds. 



THE FEEDING PERIOD 



The period between the time the steer is put into the feed lot 

 and the time when he is ready to be turned off for beef is known 

 as the feeding period. The short feeding period lasts from sixty 

 to ninety days. The long feeding period averages one hundred 

 eighty days, or about six months. Cattle are said to be on full 

 feed when they are taking grain and roughage to their full capac- 

 ity. Cattle cannot go onto full feed suddenly, for they cannot 

 adjust themselves hurriedly to a change in diet. They must 

 therefore be worked up to full feed gradually and so be accus- 

 tomed to the ration. This period is often known as the "warm- 

 ing up" period and lasts from two to six weeks depending upon 

 whether the cattle have ever been accustomed to any grain. Since 

 this is a filling up process, cattle get onto full feed somewhat more 

 rapidly when fed on a ration made up largely of roughage ma- 

 terial, and not a great deal of grain. Too much grain at the be- 

 ginning will likely lead to digestive disturbances from which the 

 cattle recover only slowly. Moreover, the cattle are later more 

 subject to such attacks. 



A larger proportion of steers are short fed than formerly, prin- 

 cipally because the working margin is narrower, and the market 

 does not make enough difference in price for the degree of finish 

 put upon the cattle to warrant the longer period. Cheaper and 

 larger daily gains can be made during the short period than dur- 

 ing the long period, because, since the ration can be made heavier 

 and the steer forced more rapidly, he will not waste so much of 

 the ration. 



To make the same quality of finished beef, the steer which is 

 to be fed a short time, should be a better flesbed feeder than the 

 one to be fed a long time. A poor feeder should not be carried 

 through a long feeding period, and should not be fed longer than 

 he continues to make good gains. When the margin is narrow 

 pnd the market does not offer a sufficient premium for extra 

 finish, the short feeding period should be adopted. 



As a general maxim, the good feeder is the only one to be 

 tolerated in the feed lot, and if the making of prime beef is the 

 end desired, there is no exception to this rule. However, the 



