COST OF PKODUCING BEEF IN KANSAS 
19 
order of their importance were (1) the gain made per steer influenced 
largely by the length of time they were held on grass, and (2) the 
initial weight of the steer. Since the heavier aged steers went to 
market first there was a marked tendency for the cost of 100 pounds 
gain to increase with heavier-weight steers. The quality of the 
pastures and the number of acres per steer had but slight influence 
upon the cost of 100 pounds gain in weight. (Fig. 9.) 
FEEDING STEERS ON GRASS 
The practice of feeding concentrates to cattle while on grass is con- 
fined chiefly to aged steers, although a few 2-year-old steers are 
occasionally fed while on grass. The steers are fed for one or more of 
the following reasons : To retain, during periods of drought, gains that 
have previously been made; to obtain greater gains or a better finish 
CATTLE PRICE LEVELS WHEN STEERS IN THIS STUDY 
WENT ON AND OFF GRASS 
MARKET 
PRICES OF 
GRASS 
CATTLE 
9 
kx 
'Price 
§A 
8 
1 
V/ 
- 
7 
_, , 
— J — U__ 
—1— L-L_L_L—I 
^L_U_ 
■ L J. 
-J-O— 
, , 
l-l _ 
_ ■ i 
___, , 
^-j->. 
JAN. APR. JULY OCT. JAN. A 
1921 
[ Period During which Cattle were put on Grass 
JULY 
1922 
APR. 
JULY 
1923 
OCT. 
Period During which Caitle were Sold from Gross 
Fig. 9.— This graph shows the fluctuations in dollars per 100 pounds that occurred in the grass 
cattle prices during the three years of this study and the prices that existed during the time when 
cattle in this study were put on and taken oS grass each year 
on the steers than would be obtained on grass alone; or to carry the 
steers in good condition till a later date when it is hoped that the 
market will be better. Cattle are usually fed for a short period. The 
time that the steers were fed while on grass varied from 8 to 85 days, 
with most of them fed while on grass from 20 to 50 days. 
During the three years of the study, records were obtained on 3,821 
head of aged steers that were fed while on grass. There were 18 
herds, averaging more than 200 head per herd. The herds varied in 
size from 60 to 490 head. These steers were heavier when going on 
grass in the spring than most of the straight-grass aged steers and 
were of good to choice quality. No common or poor steers were fed 
on grass. Most of the fed-on-grass steers were classed as half fat 
when they went on grass. 
The feeds used varied in kind and quantity according to the length 
of feeding period and the year fed. In 1921, corn chop, ear corn, and 
alfalfa were the principal feeds used, with some feeders using small 
quantities of cottonseed cake and roughages, such as kafir fodder. In 
