242 CARE OF BEEF CATTLE 



with cover to protect them from snows and cold rains. 

 These sheds need not be expensive. The cheapness of 

 equipment is one of the arguments in favor of steer 

 feeding. 



Self-feeders or Open Feed Troughs. — Cattle may be 

 fed from open feed bunks or troughs, or they may have 

 their feed given to them in self-feeders. In the self-feeder, 

 the feed is put into a large hopper from which it works 

 down as the cattle eat it out below. The self-feeder saves 

 considerable labor, and if the farmer must employ help 

 incapable of feeding wisely, the self-feeder may obviate 

 trouble which might arise from overfeeding. On the 

 other hand, a good cattle feeder will get better results 

 if the feeding is supervised, as must be the case when 

 open feed-troughs are used. 



Water. — ■ Fattening cattle require considerable water, 

 which must be fresh, clean, and pure. The supply should 

 be easily accessible so that the cattle may drink at will. 

 In cold weather the chill should be taken from the water 

 by the use of a tank heater, but care should be taken not 

 to heat the water enough to make it unpalatable. 



Advantages of Steer Feeding. — The general advantages 

 of steer feeding are : 



1. It saves labor. 



2. It uses the roughage of the farm. 



3. It returns a large amount of fertility to the land. 



4. It makes a good return on grain and feed. 



EXERCISES 



1. Why are Holstein cows frequently found in a beef herd? 



2. Can baby beef be produced as economically on the same 

 farm as that from three-year-old steers? Discuss. 



