224 THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF CATTLE 



milk only require such food as will sustain them in a 

 good condition of flesh, and with enough succulence in 

 it to keep the digesti\'e organs in a good condition. As 

 they are not producing milk, all the food consumed goes 

 to maintain flesh in the cows and to sustain the fetus 

 that is developing within them. Such cows, therefore, 

 may be carried through the winter almost entirely on 

 cheap fodders possessed of a reasonable degree of pala- 

 tability. 



In some instances cows cease to produce at some 

 time during the early winter months, and yet they are 

 not in condition for immediate sale. The facilities ma}' 

 not be present for feeding them to a finish, and, if they 

 were, the fattening process might be too costly. These 

 would be carried through the remaining portion of the 

 winter more cheaply even than the former, and almost 

 if not entirely on fodder vi'ithout other food. They may 

 then be finished more cheaply on grass. 



The third class that may be wintered thus cheaply 

 includes steers and heifers of diiTerent ages that are to 

 be grown chiefly on pastures until sold for the block or 

 feed lot. They should not be wintered thus, however, 

 during the first winter of their existence, or subsequent 

 growth will be greatly hindered. AMntering this class 

 of cattle thus is, of course, only applicable to conditions 

 where land is relatively cheap, and where food costs but 

 little or nothing during the grazing period. Young 

 animals of the class now under consideration are able to 

 utilize the lowest grade of fodders to better advantage, 

 probably, than those of any other class, since they have 

 youth and vigor on their side. The digestive and assim- 

 ilative organs are also then more active than at a later 

 period. 



Nature of the winter quarters. — The nature of the 

 winter quarters that will sufifice for such wintering is, 

 of course, greatly dependent upon the weather condi- 

 tions. Where the winters are mild, and especially where 



