152 THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF CATTLE 



dent that prolonged feeding would be hazardous. Pro- 

 fessional feeders have studied these points so carefully 

 that by them they regulate the extent of their feeding 

 operations for the season. 



If the cattle are put on feed early, as, for instance, 

 on the arrival of October or November, there is oppor- 

 tunity for prolonged feeding before the arrival of the 

 grazing season, but if not put on feed until the holiday 

 season, only four months intervene before grass is plen- 

 tiful, and it is not a good plan to try to finish on grass 

 animals that have been given for several weeks previously 

 a heavy ration of grain, if the finishing period on grass 

 is to be short. Of course, the feeding of such animals 

 may be continued in the stall or shed, but after the 

 weather has become warm, some difficulty will be found 

 resulting from the failing appetite which warm weather 

 brings. The best finished animals will usually be fed 

 for not less than 180 days, although, as shown above, 

 such finishing may sometimes be accomplished in a 

 shorter period. 



Standard rations in dififerent centers. — Rations will 

 now be submitted that have found much favor in various 

 centers in the United States and Canada, and that may 

 therefore be regarded, in a sense, as standard for these 

 areas at the present time. That some of them, at least, 

 will be modified in the future is shown below (see 

 page 162). They are mentioned as suitable for animals 

 being fed in the stall, shed, or feed lot for 180 days, and 

 that weigh 1,000 pounds when put on a finishing ration. 



In the northern states the following is one of 

 the most economical and effective rations that may be 

 fed : Feed, say, 25 pounds of corn ensilage daily and 

 all the clover or clover and timothy hay that the animals 

 will consume, which will be about 5 to 7 pounds daily. 

 As concentrates, feed corn and cottonseed meal or oil 

 meal in the proportions of 10 and 3 parts by weight. 

 Begin with, say, 4 pounds daily, and gradually increase 



