38 Western Live-stock Management 



time the ranges and pastures are fairly well restocked, al- 

 though there is not yet (1916) any material increase in 

 the number of fat cattle being marketed. A larger supply, 

 however, does not seem very far in the future. There 

 have always been periodical fluctuations in the supply 

 and in the price of beef cattle and such changes must be 

 regarded as fluctuations to be expected and not considered 

 as permanent changes. 



BEEF SECTIONS OF THE WEST 



The raising of beef cattle may be divided into three 

 phases : First, the production of the calf up to the time 

 at which he is weaned from his mother; second, the 

 growing of the steer from the time the calf is weaned 

 until he is old enough and mature enough to fatten off 

 for beef; third, the fattening of the steer. Many steers 

 spend their entire li\'es up to the time of marketing on 

 one farm, but this is far from universal. Localities differ 

 in their adaptability to handling steers of the ^'arious 

 ages, and consequently we find a tendency to devote some 

 parts of the country to raising calves, others to growing 

 the steers, and others to fattening them. Cows and 

 calves demand a rather mild climate. They are, of 

 course, handled in countries of very severe winters, but 

 other things being equal, a mild winter climate is a \ery 

 marked advantage. On the other hand, exceptionally 

 good feed is not so important, whereas the growing steer 

 demands above all an abundance of good grass. He can 

 stand a severe winter and heavy storms. In fact, the 

 loss with steers, unless they actually starve to death, is 

 very small. A steer does not require any grain and only 

 about a ton of hay for winter. The fattening of steers. 



