FEEDING BEEF CATTLE 



281 



FOOD REQUIREMENTS FOR BEEP 



The quantity of food required to fatten a beef animal depends 

 on many factors, chief of which are the kind of food and the age, 

 weight, and condition as well as the individuality of the animal. 

 Some foods promote the formation of flesh and bone, and as a 

 result the animal tends to grow, whereas certain other food en- 

 courages fat formation and the animal tends to fleshen rather 

 than to grow. The age, weight, and condition also have much 

 influence on the amount of food required to fatten the animal. 



Fig. 90.- 



-A Pkize Winning Shokthorn Bull. Owned by Carpenter & Rosa, 

 Mansfield, Ohio. 



The younger the animal the less food will be required to produce 

 a given gain in flesh. The thinner the animal, providing it is 

 thrifty, the less food will be required to produce a given weight. 

 Perhaps most important of all is the individuality of the steer. 

 Some steers will gain three pounds daily, while others receiving 

 the same amount and kind of food will gain but one pound. 

 The only method of distinguishing the animal that makes three 



