FEEDING BEEF CATTLE 



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will make, providing there is no lack of thrift. It is easily pos- 

 sible, however, for a steer to be so low in flesh as to lack thrift. 

 Such animals require time to get back into normal condition, 

 and there is a possibility of their being stunted permanently. 

 If we examine the bodies of the thin and fat steer, it may give 

 us an insight as to why the animal gains in flesh more rapidly 

 and on less feed when in a thin condition. In Jordan's " Feed- 

 ing of Animals " we note the composition of the bodies of 

 such steers to be as follows : — 



It seems that the body of the thin steer contains a relatively 

 high amount of water and low fat, whereas the fat steer's body 

 contains a relatively small amount of water and high fat con- 

 tent. This may have a bearing on the fact that a thin steer 

 gains more rapidly and on less feed than a fat one, and also 

 on the fact that as the full feeding proceeds the gains are made 

 less rapidly and require more feed. 



Quality of feeding cattle. — Quality should be considered from 

 two points of view : general quality, and handling quality. By 

 general quality is meant that general refinement of external form 

 found in the neat head, fine horn, dense bone, smooth outline, 

 and compact body. This quality is affected by nothing so much 

 as breeding. General quality and good breeding are closely 

 associated, well-bred animals being likely to possess quality, 

 whereas it is often wanting in the common-bred steers. The 

 importance of general quality in feeding cattle cannot be over- 

 estimated, as steers possessing it will give higher profit to both 



