224 PROFITABLE STOCK RAISING 



MARKETING 



The time for marketing baby beef is in the sum- 

 mer or late spring at a period when packers do not 

 desire the heavy carcasses of older animals coming 

 from a long feeding period in the feed lots. It is 

 not always possible to market the baby beef at this 

 time, because, like all other types of fat animals, 

 they cannot be profitably held for any great length 

 of time after they are finished. For this reason, it 

 is necessary to market in early spring calves which 

 were born early the previous spring, and which 

 have been forced constantly throughout the year. 

 The hand-raised calves purchased from the dairy 

 districts lend themselves very well to marketing 

 when market demands are favorable for this type 

 of beef. These calves are fed heavily during the 

 winter, and are turned upon pasture as early in the 

 spring as is practicable, the heavy grain feeding 

 being continued. They will make rapid gains and 

 acquire excellent finish and quality during this 

 forcing period of their second summer, after the 

 winter feeding with its long-continued use of dry 

 forage. The change is a very wholesome one, how- 

 ever, and extremely cheap gains may be expected 

 from this last period of the feeding season. They 

 should be finished by July or August, being from 

 17 to 18 months old at this time, and may be thus 

 marketed at the season when the packers demand 

 light carcasses. Beef of this character is in 

 great demand in the summer, and prices are most 

 likely to be high at this time. 



The feeding of baby beef may be found profitable 

 under conditions where it is not possible to main- 

 tain steers until they have reached the age to be fed 

 for heavy beef. Its greatest utility is found upon 



