16 
BULLETIN 1454, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
thin aged steers marketed early in the season obtained a larger mar- 
gin than the thin aged steers marketed later. This was due to the 
movement of cattle prices during the summer as shown in Figure 9. 
Other factors in the grazing of thin aged steers that had some 
influence upon the profits in the business were (5) the weight of the 
steer for the heavier steers, in the manner these were handled, usually 
made more money; and (6) since the early shipments turned out 
the best, the quantity of gain and the cost of this gain had little if 
any influence upon the profitableness of the business. 
Table 5. 
-Profit, losses, margins, and cost of gain on steers 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 * 
Thin 2-year- 
old steers 2 
1921 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1923 
1922 
1923 
Total cost per head 3 .._ 
Total receipts per head... 
Profit or loss per head.. . . _ 
$75. 12 
67.94 
-7.18 
7.07 
6.01 
-1.06 
4.06 
$69. 4f 
67. 71 
-1.7( 
7.64 
6.61 
-9< 
3.64 
> $68.98 
66. 6C 
) -2.38 
7.52 
6.46 
-1.06 
3.72 
$82. 41 
68.34 
-14. 07 
7.83 
6.12 
-1.71 
5.16 
$93. 88 
103. IS 
9.2t 
7.55 
8.24 
.75 
5.61 
$78. 21 
72.86 
-5.35 
8.28 
7. IE 
! -1.13 
4.61 
$96. 74 
92. & 
-4. 4f 
7.07 
7.21 
.14 
8.3( 
$100. 20 
96.82 
3.38 
8.36 
9. 35 
.99 
) 7.41 
$54. 42 
54.68 
.26 
6.9E 
6.44 
-.51 
4.44 
$60. 02 
54.73 
—5.29 
8.43 
Sales price per cwt 
Margin received per cwt 
Cost of 100 pounds gain * 
6.85 
-1.58 
4.73 
Class of steers by years 
Item 
Half-fat 2-year-old 
steers 
Thin yearling 
steers » 
Half-fat yearling 
steers 
1921 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1923 
1921 
1922 
1923 
Total cost per head 3 __ .. 
$68. 81 
61.08 
-7.73 
7.67 
6.28 
-1.39 
4.41 
861.23 
69.80 
8.57 
7.46 
6.89 
-.57 
3.52 
S65. 43 
58.28 
-7.15 
7.75 
6.38 
-1.37 
5.32 
$34.27 
39.33 
5.06 
7.15 
6.18 
-.97 
2.60 
$46. 31 
40.18 
-6.13 
9.02 
6.65 
-2.37 
5.10 
$35. 36 
42.37 
7.01 
5.85 
5.52 
-.33 
2.43 
£48.70 
58.46 
9.76 
7.86 
7.60 
-.26 
3.36 
$53. 26 
Total receipts per head. _ . 
50.88 
Profit or loss per head . .... 
-2.38 
Initial price per cwt ... . 
8.37 
Sale price per cwt.. ... ...... _1 
7.08 
Margin received per cwt.. . . 
-1.29 
Cost of 100 pounds gain 4 
i None in 1922. 
2 None in 1921. 
3 This total is not the same as that used in Table 3. The total in this table is the actual cost per head, 
including marketing costs on part of the cattle, whereas the total used in Table 3 is the average cost per 
head at the shipping point. 
* At shipping point. 
Yearlings were less speculative than the older steers during the 
period of this study. Although the average loss figure for the older 
cattle does not mean that every herd was handled at a loss, it indicates 
that the older animals as a rule were not as profitable as yearlings. 
Another advantage in favor of the young cattle, as shown in Table 5, 
is that less capital is required in stocking pastures with them than 
with the older kind. Wherever sufficient winter forage is available 
to maintain breeding herds in the Flint Hills the growing of yearlings 
has advantages over the handling of older steers. There is good 
opportunity for a portion at least of these yearlings to be produced 
within this section. 
