CANADA 201 



ton cheaper, and with the price of the finished product as high 

 as that realised — for these calves sold at a moderate price, 

 considering their quality and finish — there would have been a 

 net profit of £3/9/11 per head. Careful observation of these 

 calves during the winter confirmed the following practical 

 conclusions, about which there is perhaps nothing very new : 

 That feeding calves for baby beef pays even under prevailing 

 high prices for feeds and moderate prices for beef. That the 

 best gains are made by calves about eight months old at the 

 beginning of the feeding period. That it pays to select the 

 calves carefully, taking only those that carry a fair amount of 

 natural fleshing and that have never had a set-back. That 

 beef type and natural fleshing are the controlling factors in 

 determining the length of time and quantity of feed required 

 to fit a calf for the block ; calves of dairy type and calves of 

 beef type lacking somewhat in fleshing at the start will not 

 make gain comparable with that made by deep-fleshed, low- 

 set, thick, blocky calves that have never had their growth 

 checked — calves of the thin-fleshed order incline to belly-fat, 

 and do not cover deeply with flesh on the back and loin. The 

 last conclusion is that quietness in the food lot, gentleness in 

 handling the calves, and careful attention to feeding regularly 

 have nearly as much to do with the final results as has the 

 feed. 



