THE BEEF CATTLE INDUSTRY 



373 



the processes of beef production. Stack- 

 ers and feeders may include calves, 

 yearlings, two-year-olds, and older ani- 

 mals. Steers and bulls about a year 

 and a half old that are intended for 

 placing immediately in the feed lot are 

 referred to as feeders; while calves, 

 heifers and young steers are commonly 

 called stockers. It is difficult, however, 

 to draw a hard and fast line between 

 these subdivisions of the class. It is 

 rare that a steer weighing less than 800 

 pounds is put in the feed lot, the com- 

 mon weight ranging from 900 to 1,000 

 pounds or more. Feeders are usually a 

 year and a half of age or older. 



veal calves are not determined by 

 weight but by quality. A choice veal 

 calf must be fat and in fancy condition. 

 It must not be too young or too old; 

 too light or too heavy. 



RAISING CALVES 



Several systems of raising calves are 

 in favor in different parts of the coun- 

 try. Calves may be allowed to run with 

 the cows during a number of months 

 and take all the milk. Again, they may 

 be kept confined and allowed to suck 

 several times daily. Another variation 

 is found in confining calves and feeding 

 them fresh, whole milk from the pail. 



Fig. 256 — GOOD VEAL PROM ILLINOIS EXPERIMENT STATION 



It should not be supposed that feed- 

 ers must be animals lacking in quality. 

 As a matter of fact, even the finest bred 

 animals at the beginning of the fat- 

 tening period necessarily lack market 

 finish. The period of fattening is de- 

 signed to put this finish on the animals. 

 Therefore, the fancy, selected feeders 

 may include the most promising beef 

 animals which can be found. 



Veal calves include choice veals 

 weighing from 120 to 160 pounds; good 

 veals weighing from 110 to 200 pounds; 

 medium veals, weighing from 100 to 

 240; and common veals weighing from 

 80 to 800 f It is obvious that grades of 



Again, they may be fed on fresh sepa- 

 rated milk or skim milk, or less often 

 they are fed whey, buttermilk or sour 

 milk. On the western ranges, the only 

 system which can be operated with suc- 

 cess consists in allowing the calves to 

 run with the cows for several months, 

 after which they are weaned and do not 

 receive either whole or skim milk, but 

 are put on a grain and coarse forage ra- 

 tion, or may be allowed to obtain all 

 their feed on the range. Range cows 

 allow their calves to suck at frequent 

 intervals while they are young, but the 

 calves do not follow the cows until they 

 have acquired considerable strength^ 



