COST OF PRODUCING BEEF IN KANSAS 
17 
Table 6. — Carrying capacity, investment, and carrying costs per 100 acres of grass 
grazed on pastures of Chase County, Kans., in 1921, 1922, and 1923 
Class of steers by years 
Item 
Thin aged steers 
Half-fat aged steers 
Fat aged steers ' 
1921 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1923 
Number of steers per 100 
21.8 
18,029 
6,649 
24.0 
17, 352 
7,056 
22.3 
16,413 
6,534 
20.7 
18, 361 
4,720 
17.3 
18,096 
3,529 
24.1 
18,943 
5,615 
20.3 
22, 797 
3,187 
22.2 
Initial weight of steers per 
22, 577 
Gain in weight of steers per 
3,707 
Cost per 100 acres: 
$206.66 
8.50 
40.33 
1.96 
13.52 
$186. 00 
10.08 
41.04 
10.56 
8.64 
$181. 52 
10.26 
37.69 
2.90 
10.93 
$167. 25 
14.70 
43.06 
1.86 
17.60 
$108. 82 
22.32 
45.33 
$186.29 
12.29 
44.10 
2.65 
13.50 
$176. 61 
16.85 
48.72 
5.89 
17.46 
$178. 04 
Labor — man and horse.-. 
13.32 
49.50 
2.89 
2L10 
30.64 
Total carrying costs per 100 
270.97 
1, 274. 87 
256.32 
1, 325. 04 
243.30 
1,234.97 
244.47 
1, 437. 41 
197. 57 
1, 360. 99 
258.83 
1, 569. 15 
265.53 
1, 61L 41 
274.39 
Initial cost of steers per 100 
1,884.78 
Total cost and investment 
1, 545. 84 
1, 581. 36 
1, 478. 27 
1, 681. 88 
1, 558. 56 
L 827. 98 
1, 876. 94 
2, 159. 17 
Class of steers by years 
Item 
Thin 2-year-old 
steers 2 
Half-fat 2-year-old 
steers 
Thin yearling 
steers ! 
Half-fat yearling steers 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1922 
1923 
1921 
1923 
1921 
1922 
1923 
Number of steers 
per 100 acres 
Initial weight of 
steers per 100 acres, 
23.7 
14,125 
5,925 
27.2 
15, 395 
6,283 
21.1 
14, 805 
5,607 
24.3 
16,646 
6,974 
19.2 
13,037 
4,474 
33.2 
12,948 
8,134 
25.4 
9,881 
5,232 
20.6 
10,241 
5,768 
24.8 
12,673 
6,398 
25.0 
13.125 
Gain in weight of 
steers per 100 acres, 
4. 825 
Cost per 100 acres: 
Grass for steers.. 
Labor, man and 
$175. 14 
19.67 
36.97 
4.27 
22.99 
$222. 76 
10.34 
37.81 
8.43 
11.70 
$155. 29 $169. 86 
22. 79 12. 39 
$131. 13 
31.68 
39.17 
8.83 
28.80 
$154.38 
10.62 
32.54 
2.99 
10.62 
$152. 40 
34.04 
25.65 
46.73 
15.75 
$93.22 
15.88 
24.66 
$150.29 $162.75 
16. 37! 12. 00 
Interest charge. . 
41.36 
3.38 
25.11 
43.50 
4.62 
15.55 
32. 98 44. 25 
Other costs 
6.06 
1L 41 J 7. 50 
Total carrying costs 
per 100 acres 
Initial cost of steers 
per 100 acres... 
259.04 
981.66 
291.04 
1, 297. 71 
247.93 
1, 141. 51 
245.92 
1, 241. 97 
239.61 
L 010. 69 
21L15 
925.28 
274.57 
890.78 
139. 82 
599. 20 
211. 05 
996.71 
226.50 
1, 098. 00 
Total cost and in- 
vestment per 100 
1, 240. 70 
1, 588. 75 
L 389. 44 
1, 487. 89 
1, 250. 30 
1, 136. 43 
L 165. 35 
739. 02 
1, 207. 76 
1, 324. 50 
i None in 1922. 
2 None in 1921. 
CARRYING CAPACITY, STEER INVESTMENT, AND CARRYING COSTS 
PER 100 ACRES OF GRASS 
The number of steers that can be grazed on 100 acres of grass, 
the investment tied up in cattle, and the differences in the total 
carrying costs should receive careful consideration in deciding upon 
the class of steers to handle. Table 6 gives these items for the grass 
cattle included in this study. The number of thin aged steers per 
100 acres of grass varied from 21.8 to 24. The tendency was to 
carry fewer half-fat and fat aged steers per 100 acres of grass than of 
the thin aged steers, although in 1923 there were 24.1 half-fat aged 
