38 Western Live-stock Management 
time the ranges and pastures are fairly well restocked, al- 
though there is not yet (1916) any material increase in 
the number of fat cattle being marketed. A larger supply, 
however, does not seem very far in the future. There 
have always been periodical fluctuations in the supply 
and in the price of beef cattle and such changes must be 
regarded as fluctuations to be expected and not considered 
as permanent changes. 
BEEF SECTIONS OF THE WEST 
The raising of beef cattle may be divided into three 
phases: First, the production of the calf up to the time 
at which he is weaned from his mother; second, the 
growing of the steer from the time the calf is weaned 
until he is old enough and mature enough to fatten off 
for beef; third, the fattening of the steer. Many steers 
spend their entire lives up to the time of marketing on 
one farm, but this is far from universal. Localities differ 
in their adaptability to handling steers of the various 
ages, and consequently we find a tendency to devote some 
parts of the country to raising calves, others to growing 
the steers, and others to fattening them. Cows and 
calves demand a rather mild climate. They are, of 
course, handled in countries of very severe winters, but 
other things being equal, a mild winter climate is a very 
marked advantage. On the other hand, exceptionally 
good feed is not so important, whereas the growing steer 
demands above all an abundance of good grass. He can 
stand a severe winter and heavy storms. In fact, the 
loss with steers, unless they actually starve to death, is 
very small. <A steer does not require any grain and only 
about a ton of hay for winter. The fattening of steers, 
