254 PROFITABLE STOCK RAISING 



purchased by them for the feeding lot, but which 

 was not under their control previous to that time. 



Prof. Thomas Shaw, known all over the world 

 as an authority on live stock and feeding, writes as 

 follows in Orange Jndd Farmer concerning finish- 

 ing cattle for market: 



" The method of fattening cattle with swine fol- 

 lowing, is well nigh universal in the corn belt, 

 where fattening is still conducted. Where only 

 timothy hay or corn fodder is fed along with the 

 grain, and the grain almost or entirely corn, there 

 will be waste of the food, and such waste cannot 

 possibly be avoided. The ration thus fed is ill- 

 balanced. Experience has shown that with such 

 food a good finish can be made, but it is made at 

 quite a sacrifice of food. The food is too rich in 

 carbohydrates to balance the protein content, hence 

 a certain proportion of it will be consumed for 

 which there is no return. This, when food was very 

 cheap, as was the case years ago, was not of much 

 moment, but now since corn has trebled in value it 

 is of much moment. 



"It is of so much moment that it should lead farm- 

 ers so to farm that the fodder fed will, in the true 

 sense, be the complement of the grain fed through 

 bringing it into balance. Happy are the farmer 

 feeders who have clover or alfalfa hay, or even 

 mixed hay, of which a part is clover, to feed along 

 with the corn. When such hay can be fed, it 

 would seem safe to say that from 25 to 33 per cent 

 less feed would answer the purpose. This would 

 mean a very substantial saving in these days of 

 dear grain. The feeders are also fortunate who 

 can feed the corn in the form of silage. This in- 

 sures a larger consumption of cheap fodder than 

 would otherwise be consumed. If clover or mixed 



