CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF BEEF CATTLE 325- 



and will make a stronger bunk. Such a bunk can be moved 

 from place to place. 



The self-feeder is a feed box or bin holding a large amount of 

 grain and so arranged that part of the grain is accessible to 

 the cattle at all times. The great advantage stated for self- 

 feeders is that they save labor. They have been used with vary- 

 ing success, some cattle feeders using them continuously, others 

 using them one or two years and then abandoning them. In 

 some localities the self-feeder is common, in others not known. 



Shade. — When there are trees in the pastures, the matter of 

 shade need receive no attention, but in the absence of natural 

 shade, some provision should be made for it especially during 

 the hot, dry weather when the files are troublesome. Droves 

 of fattening cattle occasionally become so excited, due to the 

 excessive heat and flies, that they bunch up or stampede and 

 sometimes injure each other, or whoever comes in their way. 



Water. — Fattening cattle must be supplied with an abun- 

 dance of fresh water at all times. Many pastures through- 

 out the country are, not thus supplied. As a rule beef 

 cannot be produced economically on such farms. The hotter 

 and dryer the weather, the more the cattle need, and this is just 

 the time there is likely to be a shortage. In the absence of 

 running water, perhaps the most efficient source is a good well, 

 equipped with a ivind pump. When the water is pumped by 

 hand and the drove of cattle large, the water supply is likely 

 to be deficient. It is also important that the water be fresh 

 and clean. Hot, stale, and muddy water, laden with mosquito 

 larvae and other impurities, is not fit for cattle to drink. 

 Something better than mud-holes should be suppUed. 



Salt should either be kept before the feeding cattle at all 

 times or supplied them regularly twice each week. A very 

 good plan is to cut a common salt barrel in two at the middle 

 and place one-half where the cattle can have free access to it. 

 This should be under a shed, as rain dissolves the salt. 



