FEEDING BEEF CATTLE 273 



with the steers in feeding fattening steers, especially in the com 

 belt. The hogs eat the undigested whole and broken corn in the 

 droppings of the steers, and a waste of feed is thus prevented. The 

 number of pigs per steer varies according to the kind of steers 

 and the feed they are receiving; more pigs may be -put with older 

 steers than with yearlings, and more when corn is fed whole or 

 cracked than when corn meal is fed. ■ Waters states 20 that two or 

 three pigs per steer are kept when these are fed snapped corn ; three 

 for every two steers on husked corn, about one per steer on 

 shelled corn, and one pig per two or three steers on crushed or 

 ground corn. Pigs following steers should be of good bone, in thin 

 flesh, and of medium weight, viz., about 100 pounds,; shoats put 

 with steers may be lighter, viz., 50 to 60 pounds. When the pigs 

 are nearly matured or fattened they should be replaced by a new 

 set of pigs, as fat pigs are unprofitable for following steers. 



The gains made by hogs following steers will vary according to 

 the conditions of the feeding. It may be assumed that when a 

 steer is fed about 18 pounds of shelled corn a day, about three- 

 fourths of a pound of pork may be obtained ; if ear corn is fed, 

 greater gains will be made, while if corn meal or cottonseed meal is 

 fed, only a very small amount of pork will be produced, as the steers 

 are able to fully digest the grain when finely ground. 21 



On account of the narrow margin in fattening steers and the 

 expense of grain feeding it may happen, under unfavorable market 

 conditions, that no profit is made on the steers, but the pigs follow- 

 ing them, which have eaten a relatively small amount of extra 

 grain, can, as a rule, be depended upon to bring a profit, and they 

 often save the feeding operation from being a losing proposition. • 



Feeding Range Cattle. — Time was when cattle raised . on 

 western plains and mountain ranges were kept until four or five 

 years old before they were fattened, but the large majority of range 

 cattle now are sold as two to three years old,- and are fattened for a 

 period, varying in different sections of the country, from ,60 to 

 180 days. The method of feeding depends on the condition and 

 demand of the market for which they are intended. In the corn 

 belt, where a large proportion of the range steers are fattened, the 

 common practice is to feed snapped corn (ears with the husk) as 

 the only grain feed at the beginning of- the fattening period, giving 

 clover or alfalfa hay as supplementary feed ; after six or eight weeks, 

 ear corn with some cob meal is gradually substituted for the snapped 



20 Missouri Bulletin 76. 

 a Farmers' Bulletin 588. 



18 



