Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-12-14
Agricultural.


At the exhibition Of fat stock Of Chicago
last month. some facts Of value to feeders OF
cattle in all parts Of the country were shown.
An accurate account was kept of the weight,
girth and various measurements Of all the
premium cattle also their,age in days, with
their average gain per day. Awards we're
made for animals showing the greatest aver
age gain per day since birth, and for the best
dressed beeves. committee was appointed
to determine the cost Of production Of a class
Of fat stock and to make awards on that ba-
sis. The committee report that in making
their awards in this class, the price Of each
article OF food consumed as shown by the
statements Of the owners was established ct
uniform rate for all competitors. Corn
meal was estimated worth so cents per hun
bred bran, GO cents hay, Sc per ton and
other articles Of food in proportion, averag-
ing at least 40 per cent less than the cost of
the same in New England, The cost Of pas
turage was, however, estimated nearer its
cost here, being reokoned by the committee
at 10 cents per month for animals up to one
year old, s per month for from one to two
years old, and Sl25 for from two to three
years old. On this basis as to cost of pro.
duction the first premium in the class from
three to four years old steers or heifers was
awarded to j. D. Gillet Of Elkhart, ILL.,, on a
grade shorthorn steer whose weight was 2445
pounds and cost S2l453, or SS.77 per hun
dred live weight. If this steer had been fed
in New England he would have cost not less
than So per hundred He had consumed
10, $50 pounds Of corn. At the age Of one
year he had cost not quite three cents a
pound, weighing then 400 pounds at "a
months his weight was 1850 pounds and his
cost per pound IA cents. In the following
1877 days, or from three years old up to the
day of the exhibition, he lost FIVE pounds,
and his cost was increased to 81 cents per
pound. This steer also won another first
premium for the greatest daily gain having
gained at the end of the first year an average
Of 8. So pounds per day at the end Of the
the second year, sos pounds per day at the
end Of the third year, 2.24. When exhibit.
ed his age was three years, four months and
seven days. and he appeared to reach full
maturity at about three years.
Premiums were awarded in the class Of two
TO three years old cattle, to animals which
cost Dips to go cents per pound and the
cost Of the fat yearlings for which premiums
were awarded on the basis of cost Of produc
ton was 4.25 to 4.G1 cents per pound In
the two to three years old class the greatest
average gain per day was little more than
two pounds, and in the class from one to two
years old the first premium was given for a
gain Of 2 GO pounds per day from birth. The
average gain of the cattle over two years old
which were entered for premium, was less
than two pounds per day.
The beef Of these premium cattle is of
course, sold at fancy prices. AT the usual
price for extra beef such high feeding would
hardly pay, even in Illinois where grain is
cheap. The cost of the best premium steer
live weight WAS about what extra, dressed
beef sells for in the Chicago markets. Yet
the owner, who is noted stock breeder
doubtless makes q good profit. An average
farmer in New England, feeding in like man
ner would be pretty sure to lose.