FINISHING CATTLE ON PASTURE 175 



and when they have gone beyond it, the gains will be 

 increased by such feeding. The question then arises as 

 to whether any grain should be fed during that period 

 when it does not add materially to the increase. At 

 first thought, the answer would be not to feed meal at 

 such a time. The correctness of the answer would be 

 unquestioned but for the influence the grain has in sav- 

 ing the pasture and in producing a higher quality of 

 meat. There is also increase in the fertilizing value of 

 the droppings of cattle thus fed. These reasons taken 

 together would seem to show that, at the season in- 

 dicated, it is sometimes admissible to feed grain even 

 when the pastures are at their best. 



One of the several methods may be adopted in fin- 

 ishing cattle on grass with reference to the amount of 

 meal fed. First, they may be finished without grain ; 

 second, fed grain only during the later months of the 

 grazing; third, fed only a small amount of grain during 

 all the grazing period; and, fourth, fed all the grain 

 they will consume. Which of these methods should be 

 adopted will be determined by circumstances. 



Animals that have been fed grain during the pre- 

 vious winter should certainly have the same continued, 

 though in gradually diminishing quantity, during the 

 transition period from the stable to the pasture. If the 

 pastures are abundant and grains are costly, the highest 

 profits may result from feeding on grass alone. But, 

 in such instances, the cattle should usually be sold be- 

 fore grass finished cattle come in from western ranges. 

 The better condition of flesh which they possessed, as 

 compared with range cattle when turned out to graze, 

 makes this, as a rule, easily practicable. 



When pasture is abundant and grain is costly it 

 may bring highest profit to defer feeding grain until 

 the last two or three months of the grazing. This 

 method is only applicable when the grazing period 

 covers much of the season. The feeding of grain should 



