FINISHING CAirLE ON PASTURE 17I 



tain degree will not promote fattening. This is shown 

 in the slight increase in weight made by cattle during 

 the first weeks of grazing in the early spring. The 

 experience of western ranchmen has shown them that 

 the early autumn months have highest adaptation for 

 fattening animals that are dependent wholly on pasture. 

 It has also shown to them that in seasons of unusual 

 rainfall, which means more than usual abundance in the 

 grasses, they do not get the best results from fattening. 

 The grasses are over-succulent. They are favorable to 

 growth, but not to laying on fat. Similar has been the 

 experience of those in arable areas during seasons of 

 excessive rainfall. 



With some grasses, much ma}^ be done to counter- 

 act the effects of over-succulence. This may be best 

 illustrated probably in the management of bluegrass 

 pastures that may be adopted. When not grazed 

 closely in the autumn, a mulch of grass will cover the 

 ground to the extent of several inches, according to the 

 time when grazing was made to cease. Unless in win- 

 ter temperatures exceedingly low, the under blades of 

 grass usually do not lose their greenness. The top 

 blades wither and turn brown. As soon as the first 

 growth comes in spring the green blades will push up 

 in myriads amid the dead ones. The grazing thus af- 

 forded is succulent, but not over-succulent. The dead 

 grass present counteracts the tendency in the fresh suc- 

 culent grass to produce scouring, and in so far as it 

 does it tends to increase the laying on of flesh. Again 

 allow bluegrass to grow without grazing until growth 

 ceases, then it rests and loses its succulence. If not 

 grazed, a later gro'wth appears as soon as the autumn 

 rains come. Here again are the same conditions. The 

 grass is abundant, but not over-succulent, hence it is 

 well adapted to laying on flesh. This does not hold true 

 of all grasses or clovers, but it does with some of them, 

 though to a less degree, probably. If grasses of the 



