14 
BULLETIN 1454, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
The length of time the steer was on grass had relatively no influence 
upon the amount of the cost for grass for the season. The grass 
charge, which was the largest cost item, was based upon the grazing 
season and was paid in full, even though the steer was on the grass only 
a part of the season. Interest and labor costs accumulated as the 
grazing period was lengthened. The loss from death and other 
costs were not affected by the length of the grazing period except that 
the chances of death or loss from other causes were extended to each 
additional day. 
Marketing has not been included as one of the carrying costs. It 
is shown separately from the carrying costs, as many of the steers 
under study had no marketing cost. They were sold in the pasture 
and driven direct to local feed lots. The marketing cost per head is 
based on the number actually sold. (Table 3.) 
Table 4. — Cost of producing 100 pounds gain on steers grazed on pastures in Chase 
County, Kans., in 1921, 1922, and 1923 
Class of steers by years 
Item 
Thin aged steers 
Half-fat aged 
steers 
Fat aged 
steers 1 
Thin 2-year 
old steers 2 
1921 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1923 
1922 
1923 
$3.10 
.01 
.13 
.06 
.03 
.60 
.13 
$2.64 
.01 
.14 
.08 
.15 
.58 
.04 
$2.78 
.02 
.16 
.09 
.04 
.58 
.05 
$3.53 
.02 
.31 
.18 
.04 
.91 
.17 
$3.09 
.02 
.63 
.16 
"L29" 
.42 
$3.32 
.02 
.22 
.11 
.05 
.78 
.11 
$5.53 
.02 
.53 
.21 
.18 
1.52 
.31 
$4.81 
.02 
.36 
.20 
.08 
1.34 
.60 
$2.96 
.01 
.33 
.11 
.07 
.62 
.34 
$3.54 
Salt 
.03 
. 16 
.OS 
.13 
Interest on cattle..--- - 
.CO 
Other costs.. _ -- - - --. 
.19 
Total. 
4.06 
3.64 
3.72 
5.16 
5.61 
4.61 
8.30 
7.41 
4.44 
4.73 
Item 
Grass 
Salt 
Man and horse labor 
Equipment charge -. 
Death loss 
Interest on cattle 
Other costs 
Total 
Class of steers by years 
Half-fat 2-year-old 
Thin yearling 
Half-fat yearling 
steers 
steers ' 
steers 
1921 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1923 
1921 
1922 
1923 
$2.76 
$2.43 
$2.94 
$1.90 
$2.77 
$1.62 
$2.34 
$3.37 
.03 
.02 
.03 
.01 
.03 
.01 
.03 
.02 
.41 
.18 
.71 
.13 
.65 
.28 
.26 
.25 
.18 
.08 
.16 
.12 
.16 
.09 
.06 
.12 
.06 
.07 
.15 
.04 
.89 
.74 
.62 
.88 
.40 
.49 
.43 
.58 
.92 
.23 
.12 
.45 
.11 
.09 
.01 
4.41 
3.52 
5.32 
2.60 
5.10 
2.43 
3.36 
4. G9 
None in 1922. 2 None in 1921. 
FACTORS INFUENCING PROFIT OR LOSS IN GRAZING CATTLE 
Continued utilization of the Flint Hills pastures for the grazing of 
steers is dependent upon the long-time financial success of this method 
of using the pastures compared with other possible uses for them. 
The factors measuring success in handling grass cattle in this section 
do not differ materially from those affecting the fattening of cattle in 
the feed lot, except that where the only feed is grass, care and skill in 
