IO — 
during the winter of 1895-96, until now there is but little dif¬ 
ference in the market value of the two classes. Indeed, the 
past season has witnessed several cases of the lighter steer 
selling for the higher price. Under such conditions there 
is no incentive for attempting to grow the big steer, and the 
most profitable transaction now is to market the steer as 
soon as he can be be gotten fat after he reaches a thousand 
pounds live weight. 
COST OF RANGING CA'ITLE. 
The cost of running cattle on the range varies from 
$2 to $4 per head per year, according to the conditions of 
range and the amount of winter feeding. 
fn the foothills and parks where some hay has to be 
provided for winter and enough land owned or leased by 
the cattleman to insure his winter range from intruders, one 
man can take care of about 300 head of cattle of all ages. 
He can also put up the seventy-five tons of hay that would 
be needed for winter with the aid of extra help for a few 
weeks. 1 he present prices on the range are about $15 per 
head for cows, $12 for yearling steers, $17 for two-year-old 
steers, and $25 for three-year-old steers, making a mixed 
herd of 300 head worth about $4,500. The value of the 
range, with what fences, corrals, tools, etc., that the cattle¬ 
man would need, would be about $2,000. The items of ex¬ 
pense would therefore be as follows: 
Wages of herder, 12 months @ $30.$360 00 
Extra help in haying. 20 00 
Taxes @2% p er cent, on y 2 the valuation. . 80 00 
Total.$460 00 
I his $460 represents the cash outlay for herding 300 
head for one year, or about $1.50 per head. On some 
ranges, salt would need to be fed, some giving as high as 
twenty-five pounds per head per year. Some cattlemen 
have found it advantageous to keep a small amount of grain 
on hand to feed to weak cows and young calves in March 
and April. A ton of grain will usually be an abundance for 
the cows in a herd of 300 head. These two items of salt 
and grain would add twenty-five cents per head per year to 
the cost of ranging stock. 
1 he above items are the ones in mind by the writers 
who claim that cattle can be run for less than $2 per head 
per year. I o make a complete statement there must be 
added the interest on the investment: 
