COST OP PRODUCING BEEF IN KANSAS 
13 
Table 3. — Initial and carrying cost of steers on pastures in Chase County, Kans., 
in 1921, 1922, and 1923 
Class of steers by year 
Item 
Thin aged steers 
Half-fat aged 
steers 
Fat aged 
steers * 
Thin 2-year- 
old steers 2 
1921 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1923 
1922 
1923 
Number of head _____________ 
4,268 
10 
427 
5,459 
15 
364 
7,032 
13 
541 
879 
8 
110 
193 
2 
96 
562 
6 
94 
541 
5 
108 
672 
7 
96 
301 
3 
100 
923 
Number of herds. . _ _ _ 
5 
Average number per herd • _ 
185 
Carrying costs per head: 
Grass. _ _ _ _ . .. ...... 
$9.48 
1.85 
.39 
.09 
.62 
$7.75 
1.71 
.42 
.44 
.36 
$8.14 
1.69 
.46 
.13 
.49 
$3.08 
2.08 
.71 
.09 
.85 
$6.29 
2.62 
1.29 
~I.~22~ 
$7.73 
1.83 
.51 
.11 
.56 
$8.70 
2.40 
.83 
.29 
.86 
$8.02 $7.39 
$8.19 
Interest on cattle 
2.23 
.60 
.13 
1.38 
1.56 
.83 
.18 
.97 
1.39 
Labor— man and horse 
Death loss ..... 
.38 
.31 
Other costs 
.43 
Total carrying costs per head 
Initial cost per head 
12.43 
58.48 
70.91 
4.69 
10.68 
55.21 
65.89 
3.57 
10.91 
55.38 
66.29 
2.85 
11.81 
69.44 
81.25 
3.45 
11.42 
78.67 
90.09 
3.79 
10.74 
65.11 
75.85 
3.19 
13.08 
79.38 
92.46 
4.28 
12.36 
84.90 
97.26 
3.24 
10.93 
41.42 
52.35 
2.94 
10.70 
47.71 
Total cost at shipping point 
Marketing charge (for those marketed). - 
58.41 
2.91 
Class of steers by year 
Item 
Half-fat 2-year-old 
steers 
Thin yearl- 
ing steers 
Half-fat yearling 
steers 
1921 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1923 
1921 
1922 
1923 
Number of heari. 
341 
4 
85 
768 
5 
154 
155 
2 
78 
272 
2 
136 
40 
1 
40 
155 
3 
52 
131 
1 
131 
244 
Number of herds . . .... 
3 
Average number per herd ' ... 
81 
Carrying costs per head: 
Grass. . . ... 
$7. 36 
1.96 
1.08 
.16 
1.19 
$6. 99 
1.79 
.51 
.19 
.64 
$6.83 
2.04 
1.65 
.46 
1.50 
$4.65 
.98 
.32 
.09 
.32 
$6.00 
1.01 
1.34 
1.84 
.62 
$4.46 
1.18 
.76 
$6.06 
1.33 
.66 
$6.51 
Interest on cattle- 
1.77 
Labor — man and horse . 
.48 
Death loss ... 
Other costs 
.29 
.46 
.30 
11.75 
54.10 
65.85 
3.15 
10.12 
51.11 
61.23 
12.48 
52.64 
65.12 
2.82 
6.36 
27.87 
34.23 
10.81 
35.07 
45.88 
6.69 
28.67 
35.36 
8.51 
40.19 
48.70 
9 06 
Initial cost per head. . ... 
43.92 
Total cost at shipping point ___ ... 
52.98 
Marketing charge (for those marketed)... _ 
3.45 
i None in 1922. 
* None in 1921. 
The higher carrying costs for the aged steers (Table 3) were caused 
by the higher initial investment in them, with the consequent higher 
interest charge, and by the larger area of grass allowed these steers, 
as compared with the younger cattle, which was reflected in the lease 
charge per head. There was no uniform variation in the other items 
of cost, between the various classes of cattle. 
The size of the herd was the most important factor affecting the 
labor cost in caring for them. Within reasonable limits, the larger 
the herd the more steers one man can care for. Most of the herds of 
younger steers were smaller than the herds of older steers, so that the 
labor cost was greater for the younger steers. Other factors affecting 
the labor cost were the location of the pasture, the kind of water 
supply, the kind of cattle in the adjoining pastures, and the presence 
or absence of farm land adjoining the pastures. These last two 
factors affected the amount of fence riding and labor hunting for 
strays. 
