FEEDING BEEF CATTLE 285 



the pasture is limited, the land high in price, and one has the 

 grain, no doubt it will be more profitable to feed grain in con- 

 nection with the pasture. The previous treatment of the cattle 

 may likewise have an influence. To get good resiilts from 

 fattening cattle on pasture alone, the cattle should be wintered 

 very largely on roughage and should be rather thin in flesh 

 though not lacking in thrift. Cattle that are accustomed to 

 grain and in the habit of depending on it very largely for their 

 nourishment will shrink heavily if the grain is refused them. 

 While cheaper gains can usually be made from pasturing alone, 

 the cattle cannot, as a rule, be made very fat, and hence will not 

 command a high price on the market, which will often offset the 

 advantage of cheap gains. There are, however, many ex- 

 perienced cattle feeders who rely on grass fattening, particularly 

 on the edge of the corn-belt. Cattle feeders in the corn-belt 

 will, as a rule, secure greater returns from a liberal grain feed 

 in connection with the pasture. 



How to turn to grass. — As cattle are very subject to bloating 

 if turned to succulent grass, especially if wet with dew or rain, 

 much care should be exercised. This is particularly true on 

 clover or alfalfa. If it is convenient, one should turn the cattle 

 out for an hour or so in the afternoon and then take them up 

 for the day, turning them out the following day at noon and 

 leaving a few hours longer, then taking them up again, when on 

 the third day they may be allowed to remain. 



Feeding grain to cattle on pasture. — The amount and kind of 

 grain that should be fed to fattening cattle on pasture will de- 

 pend much on the previous treatment, age, condition, and 

 quality of the cattle as well as the time of marketing them. 

 Young stock, that are to be made thick fat, will need grain con- 

 tinually throughout the summer. Older cattle, that are not in- 

 tended for market until fall, may well have their grain withheld 

 until the pasture begins to get short, say along in July. On the 

 other hand, many cattle feeders prefer to "warm the cattle up" 



