Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-02-19
push Things" with the Young Stock.

Push Things" with the Young Stock.
Geo. Geddes, one of New York's
veteran and most intelligent farmers,
contributes to the Country Gentle
man a thoughtful article upon the
production of beef, from which we
take extracts showing the economy
of liberal feeding in the animals
earliest days:
The calf should be born as early
as March or April, and fed for, the
first four months in the most liberal
manner, and gradually accustomed to
grass, and be put entirely on grass
from that time, say August lst, until
the feed begins to be poor in the fall,
when grain should be given in small
quantities, and, before very rough
weather, shelter provided. At birth,
a calf should weigh from 50 to 100
pounds. Sometimes we have calves
that weigh more than 100 pounds at
birth, but not often. Taking the
weight at 100 pounds, he will weigh
from 800 to 400 pounds at four
months. But such are the peculiari-
ties of different animals, that it is not
easy to predict the exact rate of pro-
gress.
Let us suppose the calf, on the first
day of November, to be fed on good
clover hay, all it will eat, and one
quart of meal, made by grinding one
bushel of Indian corn with two Of
oats, fed each day warm, dry stable
and yard, and plenty Of good water
When this calf is a year old, its
weight will probably be between 600
and 900 pounds. A herd of ten will
probably average 700 pounds.
This winter feed being continued
until grass and good pasture are fur
nished, the calves will gain one pound
Il day, weighing at 20 months old
from 900 to 100 pounds each.
This supposes nothing more than
ordinary fair keeping-such as will
return the most for the food and care
given-and this brings us to the be-
ginning of the second winter, with
calves that have gained year in time
as against the common management
of the average farmer.
Now comes up the question-shall
these animals be sold from $50 TO $45
each, or be kept over winter, we'll fed,
and sold the next season when beef
brings the best price, say June or
July?
There are methods Of management
that, by giving more feed, will make
larger animals than | have supposed,
but where and how are we to get the
best pay for our work, is the real
point to be aimed at.
Animals not only pay best for the
food consumed in early life, but they
gain more pounds within given time.
This great law is shown even in chill.
dren. The babe that weighed nine
pounds at birth at four months weigh
ed nineteen pounds. The brother of
ten years, who had ciphered to the
rule of three, worked out a sum thus /:
If my little brother has gained ten
pounds in four months, what will he
weigh at my age? When he saw the
answer, he exclaimed, " "What a
whopper !" The most authentic
case, illustrating this law, that has
come to my knowledge | will give
here, though am we'll aware that it
has been made public: Uncle Abe
was the name given TO steer that
was born on the 10th day of October,
1864, in Orange county, n. Y. At
birth he weighed 1874 pounds at 90
days old he weighed 3s5 pounds, hav-
ing gained 25l pounds. At $50 days
old he weighed go pounds, gaining
2S5 pounds. At one year old he
weighed l,036 pounds, having gained
366 pounds; the whole gain in the
year being 902 pounds,the first six
months giving 536 pounds, against
366 pounds the last half of the year.
At eighteen months old he weighed
1854 pounds; ut two years old he
weighed 1876 pounds; at three years
old he weighed 2,0T0 pounds; at four
years old he weighed 1880 pounds.
The increase of food given was very
great as the animal increased in age,
and his rate of growth constantly fell
off until it was only 900 pounds for
the last year of his life; only five
pounds more than he gained in 80
days before he was six months old.
Haru Mntho1 .u,ah n..a..