58 Western Live-stock Management 



ago there was much complaint that the range-men were 

 trying to buy their bulls too cheaply. Cattle were low 

 and feed expensive, and the range-men felt unable to 

 pay $150 or $200 for a bull when cattle were at the price 

 they were then receiving, and in the meantime the -breeder 

 of pure-breds was not getting for his stock what it cost to 

 raise them; within the last few years, however, since 

 beef has been a good price, there is little complaint from 

 that source, and the range-men are now willing and able 

 to pay good prices for bulls. 



cows AND CALVES 



The well-known veterinary authority, Fleming, esti- 

 mates that the average breeding efficiency of cattle is 

 about 78 per cent. By this is meant that with 100 cows 

 of breeding age, we should expect 78 calves per annum. 

 The carefully managed herd will do somewhat better than 

 this, and will sometimes go as high as 85 per cent or 90 

 per cent. On the other hand, however, the average herd 

 on the open range will not do so well, the average being 

 about 60 per cent, although with good care and good 

 bulls an average of 65 per cent to 70 per cent is obtainable. 

 This percentage largely determines the cost of the calf. 

 At the present time a good range calf is worth about $25. 

 If the cost of caring for a cow a year is assumed at $15, 

 it will be noted that if it is necessary to maintain two 

 cows to get one calf, there will be an annual loss of $5 on 

 each calf, but if four calves can be raised from five cows 

 a good profit will be allowed. There is perhaps no other 

 phase of the beef-cattle industry wherein so much im- 

 provement can be effected by careful management, with 

 the minimum additional investment in the way of capital. 



