TEE BEEF CATTLE INDUSTRY 



407 



factors which influence the development 

 of steers, the quality of beef and the 

 profit to be derived from feeding. 



Fattening season — According to sta- 

 tistics collected by Mumford in Illinois, 

 40 per cent of the beef raisers of that 

 state believe that they can fatten beef 

 most advantageously in the summer, 

 while 26 per cent prefer fall, 20 per cent 

 spring and 14 per cent winter. Not- 

 withstanding this apparent preference 

 for the summer season, 61 per cent of 

 the beef raisers stated that they had 

 found winter feeding profitable. The 

 time of year at which steers are put on 

 full feed varies with different farmers, 



ing period, however, may be set down as 

 about six months. 



Shaw found that a satisfactory in- 

 crease in weight was not attained when 

 steers were fed on a forcing ration dur- 

 ing a short period and that on this ac- 

 count such feeding resulted in consider- 

 able waste of the meal. In this test, 

 feeding periods of 84 and 140 days were 

 compared. It was found that steers on 

 a light meal ration for 140 days gave a 

 profit of $6.75 a head more than those 

 fed 84 days on an excessively heavy 

 ration. Steers which were forced to the 

 limit were more likely to get off feed. 



In Tennessee, Soule has found that so 



Fig. 269 — MODEL CATTLE FARM WITH CEMENT SILO AND RESERVOIR 



but in the majority of cases the pre- 

 ferred season is September to Novem- 

 ber. As a rule, it is necessary to occupy 

 from 15 to 30 days in a preliminary 

 period, during which the cattle are 

 gradually brought up to full rations. 



Length of the fattening period — The 

 length of the fattening period will vary 

 in different cases, according to the age 

 of the animals, their condition at the 

 beginning of the period and the purpose 

 for which they are fed. As a rule, steers 

 require about six months for the attain- 

 ment of a proper market finish ; in some 

 instances from seven to nine months 

 may be necessary, while occasionally 

 satisfactory results are obtained in three 

 months. The usual length of the fatten- 



long as animals are making a daily gain 

 of iy 2 to 2 pounds, the fattening period 

 can be continued at a profit. 



Number of feeds a day — There is lit- 

 tle to be said on this point, since nearly 

 all beef raisers feed twice a day and 

 find this more satisfactory, convenient 

 and economic than any other system 

 which can be adopted. 



Size of the ration — I n feeding year- 

 lings in winter, a considerable percent- 

 age of beef raisers give all the corn that 

 the cattle will eat, while many use about 

 a peck of corn or a slightly smaller 

 quantity. When the yearlings are kept 

 on grass in siimmer, about one peck of 

 corn a day is a perfectly satisfactory 

 ration, or ^ bushel corn and oats and 



