246 PROFITABLE STOCK RAISING 



on his operations, but there are thousands who 

 have procured good profits if the operations for any- 

 definite term of years be considered. 



FEEDING PERIODS 



Fattening stock for the market frequently de- 

 mands different practice for different portions of the 

 feeding period. Feeding management which will 

 give the best results at the beginning of a fatten- 

 ing period will seldom or never be the best during 

 the finishing period. Cattle which are placed in 

 a feed lot in a thin condition of flesh on account 

 of insufficient feeding cannot be handled in the 

 same manner as thrifty, well-conditioned stock. 

 Such animals as these can be fed during the first few 

 weeks upon nourishing and strength-giving feeds, 

 largely of a protein nature, which will build up the 

 general physical condition of the animal, enrich the 

 blood, and induce a thrifty, growing condition. 

 Then gradually change the feed to one of a more 

 carbonaceous nature, so that fat will be formed and 

 weight gained while still maintaining the strong 

 muscular frame produced by the previous feeding. 

 The management of growing animals is, as a rule, 

 much better understood by farmers than are the best 

 methods of fattening, and this refers especially to 

 the finishing period of the fattening process. 



The vital question for successful marketing is, 

 when is the proper time or the proper stage of de- 

 velopment to market an animal to the greatest 

 advantage? The answer is, of course, the time 

 when it will make the most profit. This, as has 

 already been pointed out, is a very difficult matter 

 to decide. A visit to the live stock markets any 

 day in the year will reveal large numbers of animals 



