COST OF PRODUCING BEEF IN KANSAS 23 
weight. The gain on the older steers was a much smaller proportion 
of their initial weight, being 40 per cent for the thin aged steers. The 
younger cattle, with their lighter weight, make it possible to operate 
on a wider minus margin. It should be kept in mind that this margin 
for the thin yearling steers is computed at the local shipping point 
and not at the terminal market as for the other steers. The margin 
would be less if the marketing charge were included for these yearling 
steers. It is not included because very few yearling steers are moved 
from Chase County. 
In considering these illustrations it should be kept in mind that 
they are to show the methods of using these data and to bring out 
more forcibly those points which must be considered in estimating 
the price which can be paid for cattle that are to be grazed in the 
Flint Hills section. To apply this information, the reader should 
take the basic figures from the tables previously given and apply to 
these figures the prices which exist at that particular time. For 
example, thin aged steers can be expected to gain about 300 pounds 
during the season. (Table 2.) If handled in fairly large herds, they 
will require about one hour of man labor and one hour of horse work 
for the season. Grass charges will be based on current prices. 
Interest will be determined by the purchase price of the cattle and 
the rate that must be paid on the money for the time it is used. 
Death loss will amount to about one steer out of every 150 to 250 
head. Other costs are small and must be estimated. With these 
facts it is possible to apply current prices and obtain results which 
are useful in deciding whether or not to purchase cattle at a given 
figure. 
WINTERING STEERS IN CHASE COUNTY 
The number of steers wintered in the Flint Hills will be determined, 
in part, by the quantity of roughage available in that section and in 
part, by conditions on the ranges from which these cattle are 
obtained. If the southwestern ranges have plenty of feed and water, 
the tendency is to winter the cattle there rather than to bring them 
to the Flint Hills. 
In wintering aged steers in the Flint Hills section little attempt is 
made to procure large gains. The steers are kept in thrifty condition 
and put on slight gains. In years when plenty of feed is available, the 
cattle may be fed more heavily and go on grass as half-fat or fat 
steers. Younger cattle are wintered less frequently than aged steers. 
Many of the younger cattle wintered within the county are native 
to the section. Records were obtained on yearlings and 2-year-old 
steers only in 1921-22. Records were obtained on aged steers and 
calves for the seasons 1921-22 and 1922-23. All of the 2-year-old 
and aged steers included in the records were of range breeding. The 
gains, daily feed costs, and labor requirements for the steers on which 
records were obtained are given in Table 9. The 2-year-old steers, 
full fed after grazing in 1921-22, which are given in this table, are not 
fully comparable with the other classes of cattle. These 2-year-old 
steers went to market as fat cattle at the end of the feeding period. 
All the other steers were roughed through the winter in good condition 
and turned on grass in the following spring. (Table 9.) 
