FEEDING BEEF CATTLE 269 
slowly prior to being turned on to the self-feeder. An experienced 
Illinois cattle man gives as his opinion of the self-feeder that “it 
is more reliable than a careless man and more economical of labor 
than even a careful man.” Under favorable conditions, self-fed 
steers are likely to eat more grain and make larger gains than those 
fed by hand, but it requires slightly more feed to produce a given 
gain with the self-feeder. 
The feeding of beef cattle will be considered under the following 
heads: Baby beef, yearlings, two-year-olds, and older cattle. 
Fie. 65.—A Mississippi-raised ‘‘ baby gent ots Note the wonderful thickness of flesh. 
(War 
Baby Beef.—The production of baby beef (Fig. 65) is fol- 
lowed mainly by feeders in the corn belt. It has several advantages 
over feeding of older cattle; there is always a good market demand 
at high prices for this class of steers, weighing 1000 to 1150 pounds 
at an age of 16 to 18 months, and the feeder receives quick returns 
for his investment. Baby beeves are likely to dress somewhat lower 
than older cattle, but they furnish more valuable meat and have 
less inedible fat than the others, and have no coarseness about the 
neck, brisket, and chuck. To offset these advantages, it requires a 
higher grade of cattle aud more skill and care on the part of the 
feeder to produce baby beef, and there is a greater chance for 
2 T]linois Bulletin 142. 
