The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-05-27
HOUSEHOLD AND FARM.
Early Feeding of Steers.

Gradually the plan of feeding off young
will grow upon us, the fact is rapidly being
impressed upon feeders and consumers tina
the old.time custom of keeping feeding stocH
till fully grown, has had its day. Consumers
are learning that hlgh.bred stock attains goo0
growth, and that the sides and top are so wei
made up of good, thick muscles that the cuts
are of good thickness; that the meat Is well
filled with rich juices, and even at the age OF
year and half it has lost all indications OF
greenness-want of maturlty-is of the very
best quality and beefy. A salmon that weighs
pound is as good tor the table as one tina,
weighs two pounds. fat chicken at twelve
weeks is as good eating as the hen OF two
years, and better. The fat lamb of six months
Is better mutton than the old sheep. And, old
usage and prejudice to the contrary, the steer
OF two years, or the long yearllng, II of deep
breeding and we'll fatted, will make beef of
the very best quality and flavor
The idea of greenness or immaturity IN
veal or roast pig, is apt enough; because in
these cases the transformation from calf meat
to beet, or in the other case, from the meat of
the sucking pig to that of the cornfed hog, has
not taken place The milk on which these
young animals live, while it contains the re-
quIred constituents for making bone, muscle
and fat still Is light food, and ID used for
building upon juvenile foundation of tissues.
The exact period when the calf ceases to be a
calf, SO far as Its meat product is concerned,
has not been fixed. The transition is gradual,
depending upon growth and approximation
toward maturity, as in the case OF the tomato
or peach Yet IN the calf It depends in quite
degree upon the food given. In proportion
as the calf Is early accustomed to food like
that given to the fattenlDg steer, will Its flesh
change from veal to beef That the change is
fully ready to occur, and does take place be.
fore the beast has arrived at the age which
makes him yearllng, is quite certain.
That the flesh of the we'll .fattened long year.
ling Is mature-cOntalnlng all OF the constitu-
ents belonging to the three-y Odds quite
certain, having the same muscles Qean meat,
with similar proportion of fibrin and rich
meat juices, is equally certain. That Its flesh
Is more tender, hence, by fair inference, easier
Of digestion, is quite reasonable to assume.
That the flesh Of the young steer is less liable
to be lessened in healthfulness through local
disease In any organ, is we'll assured, as the
aged steer, through long continued exposure
to miasmatic influences, Is quite liable to con-
tract liver arrangement, resulting, If long con.
tinued, in organic disease. Healthy organs
insure healthy digestion and healthy meat pro-
duct The internal functions, disturbed by
local ailment, or even by indigestion, furnish
unhealthy additions to the blood directly
through the faulty digestion, or indirectly
through absorption of pus, in local ulcers :;
and these may be of considerable extent if
confined to the liver, and quite apparent if in
other and more sensitive parts, and yet not
cause the animal to appear especially sickly.
Now, these contaminatlons are avoided in the
flesh of the young steer, because, like new
carriage or harvester all the parts are sound
and strong. No rot has entered any Of the
joints, nor are any of the bearings going
wrong from disturbing influences,
Feeding off young will result IN stimulating
to greater improvement as unimproved cattle
cannot be finished up at two years, or as long
yearlings. Nothing less than high grade
can go forward to the slaughter IN coed shape
so young, neither can il raise the beam at a
figure that will insure thick, salable cuts.
When steers are more generally marketed
while young, more breeding cows will be re-
qnired to furnish the supply needed.-Nation-
al Lioe Stock Journal.