8 
BULLETIN 1454, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
until late in the fall. In 1921 the grass began to dry up a little 
earlier than usual. The stock water available in that year was less 
than is usually available during the latter part of the grazing period. 
In 1922 conditions were better in these respects; the grass got a good 
start in the spring and grew until fairly late in the season. Stock 
water was abundant at all times. In 1923 a late spring retarded the 
growth of the grass and shortened the grazing season; there was an 
abundant supply of moisture in the early summer months and the 
grass did well. Beginning with the second week in July, that year, 
the weather turned dry and warm (Table 1), the grass dried up, and 
the flies became more troublesome than usual. 
Table 1. — Average yearly and total rainfall at Bazaar, Kans., 1921, 1922, and 1923 
Month 
Rainfall 
Average i 
1921 
1922 
1923 
Inches 
0.74 
1.68 
1.69 
2.37 
5.11 
4.04 
3.86 
4.21 
3.02 
2.39 
1.64 
1.16 
Inches 
1.23 
.26 
2.67 
2.35 
2.53 
4.25 
1.94 
2.98 
3.88 
1.78 
.01 
.27 
Inches 
0.40 
1.09 
4.95 
6.42 
2.91 
1.18 
4.41 
1.25 
3.96 
1.28 
4.13 
.00 
Inches 
01 
.07 
March _ _ _ __ _ _ . 
1.98 
April .. ... _____ _______________ 
2.33 
May.. ______ . _ _ . 
6.05 
June_ ___ _ _ _ 
8.63 
July 
2.78 
August _ _. . . _ ______ __ _ 
1.67 
3.52 
October _ - 
4.19 
November. _______ _________ _ _._ ___ 
1.27 
December 
.75 
Total 
31.91 
24.13 
31.98 
33.25 
1 The average rainfall was computed for 14 years, between 1905 and 1920 inclusive, 
annual rainfall for 1906 and 1908 were available. 
No data giving the 
DESCRIPTION OF CATTLE UNDER STUDY 
The Hereford breed furnished 68 per cent of the steers on record. 
The " coasters, " or steers from the Texas coast, were next in num- 
bers, followed by Brahman grades, Hereford-Shorthorn crosses, 
mixed Hereford-Shorthorn coaster steers, Shorthorns, and Galloways. 
Steers 3 years old or older form the principal class of cattle grazed 
in the Flint Hills. The aged steers finish quicker on grass than the 
younger steers. The younger cattle grazed in the Flint Hills can 
not, as a rule, be put into slaughter condition and must be carried 
on grass until Corn Belt farmers come into the market for their 
feeders. This necessitates keeping the young cattle on grass into 
September and October, which is usually a season of poorer grass 
than the late spring and summer. 
For the purposes of study, steers that had nothing but grass have 
been divided into classes by age and the degree of finish on them 
when they went on grass. In addition to the straight grass cattle 
some data were obtained upon cattle fed while on pasture and upon 
cow herds. The general divisions of these classes are as follows: 
(1) Thin aged steers; (2) half-fat aged steers; (3) fat aged steers; 
(4) thin 2-year-old steers; (5) half-fat 2-year-old steers; (6) thin 
yearling steers; (7) half-fat yearling steers; (8) aged steers fed while 
on grass; (9) 2-year-old steers fed on grass, and (10) breeding cows. 
