The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1880-12-15
DECEMBER.
TIE STEER FOR BEEF.

der is, or should be, looking Ioi'
not only the steer which will make
the most beef in the shortest time.
but the beef return the greatest
profit. They have worn their teeth
and wearied their jaws long enough
in masticating the tough and taste
less tissues of muscular system.
And there has been in the last year
a more thorough Investigation OF
this question than at any former
period Of our history. Disappolnt-
ments were encounted in some cal
culations, which at first were not
well understood. Those raising
stock in Texas, Oregon, or on our
Western plains: supposed if they
graded up their stock with Short
horns, Devons, or Herefords, they
could produce as sweet, tender and
delicious beef as we couldin Iowa, Il
linois, or Ohio. And why not? Why
is not work OK, when thoroughly
fattened, as finely marbled, tender
and juicy beef, as the steer which
has been permitted to leisurely
crop the tender grass in the rich
pastures, and drink his water from
the spring brook which constantly
flows at his feet? The labor and
constant exercise Of the OK enlarges
the muscle, and prevents the adj
pose matter or fat from accumula-
ting in the cellular tissue. Ihe
beef of the work OK is considered
of an inferior quality, for the rea-
son that it is made up principally of
muscular development, and is OF
little use on the table, as in cooking
it will cook dry and curl up, and
will produce an abundance Of whit
leather.
The steers raised on the plains,
. or in Texas or Oregon, before they
reach the Chicago and eastern mar
ket are veritable work oxen
Though they may not bear the
yoke, yet from their calfhood they
have been used to daily marches
for food and water, aud been COM
PEELED to seek the foothills or even
the sides Of the mountains for pas
ture, where there is no water. All
this is great against the character
of the beet, and it is useless to e1-
pect even the high grade steer Of
the plains, even if they had the
same quality of sweet grasses, to
be frst-class beef. And the Ore
gen steer, when he arrives at the
Missouri river, has performed a
drudgery and servitude that has
made his flesh hard and leathery,
there being no more marbllng II
his flesh than in that Of the work
horse, the gray hound or the ante
lope. There are now, it is stated,
23,9O0 head of Oregon steers slowly
vending Eheir way over the noun
tains and deserts. This fall they
expect to reach the Yellowstone val
ley, where they will winter. Next
spring they will be driven to some
point west of Cheyenne on the
Union Pacific railroad, and ship
ped to our grain fields to be fat
tened up for market. And some
have vainly imagined that these can
with care be made frstclass beef.
At first butchers and shippers
bought liberally of them, supposing
if they were high, grades and were
round and plump in form they
were an article equal 10 the best.
But experience has proven that
they were of the same class Of
beef as work oxen. The same is
the case with Texas cattle, after
their long drive, and the other cat
tie, on our plains where pasture
and water require much daily labor
of the stock to partake of both.
They are all work oxen. But re-
Gently has this been so clearly de-
monstrated. Formerly they raised
only the worst class of scrubs. The
past few years large numbers Of
the better class of bulls have been
used, and they expected their grade
steers to compare favorably with
our choicest ones.
Besides, water is one of the i'm,
portant elements, not only in the
rapid Development Of beef, but in
producing the choice qualities.
Water must be pure, cool, and
plentiful and Of easy access.
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