Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-05-05
Steers in Pasture.

Thirty steers of 800 or 900 weight, on
good pasture from May l to Novem-
Der, should gain each 400 pounds. Much
depends on their condition when turned
out in spring. Those wintered around
straw stacks, without grain, will not
begin to gain for several weeks. Their
digestion is bad; much blood is needed
to renew their coat of hair and loosen
the hide. On the other hand, a steer
already fat will not gain so much as one
in what is called good condition. Such
an animal will increase very fast from
May l to the middle or last of June,
averaging perhaps with little grain at
first)fourpounds perday, ~ tduring July
and August very little gain would be
manifest, while the thin steer would
then be in condition to be adding some
weight. 1t is much better to market
July l the steers that were fat When
turned upon grass in May.
Cattle wintered around straw stacks
will be in good condition without any
grain if they are fed at the same time
with a moderate amount Of corn-fodder,
or four or five ears of corn per day with
out the fodder. A farmer will make it
pay to borrow money with which to buy
corn to feed cattle wintering around
straw stacks, as the most of the cattle
do in all States West of Pennsylvania.
1t is no unusual thing in this country of
cheap and abundant orn to see during
March dead cattle lying around straw
stacks, starved to death! Two months
ago I saw such a sight within two miles
Of my residence; the owner, worth $685.
900, with hundreds of bushels of corr
conscientiously kept to feed hogs-the
everlasting hog. Farmers make an X
pensive mistake in thinking grain fed to
stock cattle is wasted.
A correspondent from Michigan,
whose inquiries suggested this article,
speaks of having pasture in an open
grove, and also OF a pasture well set in
timothy and clover. Now much depends
upon the way these lots are pastured.
The wool-lot should be pastured first,
and the cattle kept off the timothy and
clover, because the grass among the
trees will be much richer and more pal
atable if fed before the trees come into
full foliage. This pasture then should
be allowed to grow until October 1,
when it will again be in prime condition
at a time when timothy and clover have
stopped growing.
Many persons overstock their pas
lures, and the animals fail to gain as
much as they would with a better range.
During May and June the grass seems
so abundant they purchase more stock
to keep down the growth, and the re-
suit is, the cattle during August and
September frequently gain nothing.
The farmer must recollect that he can
not depend upon growth of any grass
except red clover from middle Of July
until fall rains set in. With plenty Of
rain in latter part of summer the grasses
do not grow half as fast as during May
and June. These things must be con-
sidered by the breeder Of cattle if he ex-
poets the largest gain in weight, and his
pastures must be at all times such that
the cattle can readily and quickly find
sufficient grass.-Cor. N. Y. Tribune.
The latest invention in the line of
entertainments is that known as the
Celestial Party" The floor of the
hall or vestry which is to be the scene
of the festivities is marked off into
orbits and numerous young ladies',
handsomely and fancifully dressed to
represent the planets, such as Ceres,
Hygeia, Astrea, Vesta, Ariadne, Flora
and Terpsichore, revolve and rotate
-