The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-04-29
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 that the old-time custom
of keeping feeding stock till fully grown,
has had its day. Consumers are learn
ing that high-bred stock attains good
growth, and that the sides and top are
so well 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 maturity-is of the very best
quality and beefy. A salmon that
weighs pound is as good for the table
as one that weighs two pounds. A fat
chicken at twelve weeks is as good eat
ing as the hen of two years, and better
The fat lamb of six months is better NUT
ton than the old sheep. And, old usage
and prejudice to the contrary, the steer
of two years, or the long yearling, if of
deep breeding and well 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; be-
cause in these cases the transformation
from calf meat to beef or in the other
case, from the meat of the sucking pig
to that of the corn-fed 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 is
used for building upon a juvenile founda-
ton 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, de-
pending upon growth and approximation
toward maturity, as in the case of the
tomato or peach. Yet, in the calf it de-
ponds in quite degree upon the food
given. In proportion as the calf is early
accustomed to food like that given to the
fattening 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 that age
which makes HIM a long yearling, is
quite certain.
That the flesh of the well-fattened,
long yearling is Misunderstanding all
of the constituents belonging to the three
year-old-is quite certain, having the
same muscles Clean meat with SINH
lar 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 health
fulness through local disease in any or
gan, is well assured, as the aged steer,
through long continued exposure to mias-
matte influences, is quite liable to con-
tract liver arrangement, resulting, Il
.,sa u
Healthy organs insure healthy digestion
and healthy meat product. 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 es-
pecially sickly. Now, these contamina-
tons are avoided in the flesh of the young
steer, because, like a 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 stimu-
lating to greater improvement, as unim-
proved cattle cannot be finished up at
two years, or as long yearlings. Moth
ing less than high grade can 60 for
ward to the slaughter in good shape so
y0ulg, neither can it raise the beam at
figure that will insure thick, salable
cuts. When steers are more generally
marketed while young, more breeding
cows will be required to furnish the sup
ply needed.-Nationdl Lice Stock Jour
nal.