Fattening Steers 73 



gain was 8 cents and the selling price of the steer was 8^ 

 cents, a very fair profit could be made without any margin 

 whatever. At the present time cattle are considerably 

 higher than the prices listed above, and the margin of 

 price between thin steers and fat steers is somewhat less 

 than fl.OO a hundred pounds. 



The margin required to make a profit and tlie margin 

 the feeder may receive, are not necessarily the same. 

 Any factor which makes the steers fatter increases the 

 selling price and therefore increases the probable margin. 

 Mere increase in weight does not increase the margin. 

 The increase must be in fat so as to make the beef better 

 and to raise the dressing percentage. There is, therefore, 

 usually more margin in older steers than in younger ones, 

 because more of the increase in weight goes to fat and 

 less to growth. Rapid fattening will also bring a greater 

 margin than slow fattening, for similar reasons. A 

 two-year-old steer which is made to gain 200 pounds in 

 200 days might not be any fatter than when he began and 

 so would sell at the same price a pound. A similar steer 

 which is made to gain 200 pounds in 100 days would neces- 

 sarily put much of the increase into fat rather than into 

 growth and as a result would sell for a higher price a pound. 

 Unfortunately, the chief factor affecting the margin 

 actually obtained is the condition of the cattle market. 

 If the price of cattle goes up during the fattening period, 

 the margin will be large ; if the price goes down, the margin 

 will be small, or may be wiped out entirely. This factor 

 is entirely beyond the control of the feeder and he must 

 take his chances. If the price of cattle remains unchanged, 

 however, a good steer weighing from 1000 to 1200 pounds 

 at the start may be fed from 120 to 150 days on first-class 

 hay and be made to gain about 175 pounds, at the end 



