GROWING BABY BEEF 87 



ture or from maintaining the animals for a long time on 

 a diet without change. Attention, therefore, should be 

 given to such modifications of the diet as may be found 

 practicable. In some instances the addition of one in- 

 gredient, as^ for instance, oats, will add much to the 

 relish of the food. Sudden changes of temperature from 

 lower to higher should be followed by giving a reduced 

 amount of food. In some instances the appetite will be 

 strengthened and digestion improved by feeding some 

 aromatic spice or condiment, home-made or otherwise, 

 when known to be helpful under such conditions. But 

 such feeding should only be temporary. 



Age at which to sell. — The age at which to sell the 

 finished animals will be influenced by the type, by the 

 food and feeding, and by the market values. Reference 

 has already been made to the fact that animals of dairy 

 inheritance grow more pronouncedly in dairy form with 

 advancing age. Such change influences market values 

 adversely in proportion as it is present. Because of this 

 tendencv and influence it is the aim to market animals 

 possessed of such types under the age of 15 months, 

 usually under the age of 12 months and very frequently 

 as young as six months. The age at which high-class 

 types are marketed is more flexible and may cover any 

 period extending from, say, 14 to 22 months. 



Animals reared on skim milk cannot usually be 

 brought into high finish at an age so early as those which 

 nurse their dams, and, therefore, the older age is usually 

 preferred at which to market these : but to this there are 

 some exceptions, as in the case of dairy types reared es- 

 sentially on skim milk during the milk period. Those 

 who purchase calves from the range annually must have 

 the feed lots ready when the time comes to purchase 

 feeders and so carry the animals "to the farthest age 

 limit. 



Market values mav hasten or retard the age at 

 which to sell. There are seasons at which higher values 



