The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-23
Feedine Cattle.

New York Times.
1t has been claimed that the methods Of breed
ing and feeding cattle have been so much i'm
proved of late Yeas that the period of maturity
has been FASTENED more than one-half, That is,
a sheep or a pig which matured at three years,
or a steer which was ready for slaughter at five
years formerly, are now ready for the butcher at
less than half these ages. Pigs are said to be
ready for pork at nine months, wethers for NUT
ton at twenty months, and a two-year-old steer is
ready for the block at that age. 1t is to be feared
that these claims are greater than can be Justly
allowed. No doubt some animals, by excessive
forcing, are made fat. and reach as heavy a
weight at these premature ages as others used to
do in twice the time, but it is a question whether
this forcing is profitable either to the feeder or
the consumer. Tn the one hand the animal is
forced to consume as much food in two years as
was formerly spread over four years. so that, on
the whole, there slnog gain but in time, while, on
the other hand, the consumer has very immature
or half-grown meat, whichisdeyoid OF flavor, and
nutriye quality, and the meat is overloaded with
fat, which is waste. Physiologically it is a mat
ter of doubt If the muscular growth of an ami
mails can really be FASTENED by any process of
feeding. Fat can be be produced, no doubt, but
fat is a diseased condition Of the system, and
an excessively fat animal would soon die under
continued feeding. But if we examine the meat
Of one of these young overgrown animals it is
found to be in very great disproportion to the
fat. 1t is quite common, for instance, for the
nine-months-old pigs which weigh 300 pounds to
be turned wholly into the lard kettle because
the few pounds of flesh underneath the fat-is
not salable or useful as food. On the whole, it
certainly does appear asif we had carried the
forcing system of feeding to an improbable ex-
treme. Every year the losses of swine by dis
orders clearly traceable to overlooking increase
in number, and, although we are told that the
dreaded diseases have been overcome and have
disappeared, yet the feeding season no sooner
begins again, when the hog cholera breaks out
as plentifuIly as at any time before. It is a
question whether we can safely follow English
precedents IN this respect Of forcing animals to
prematurity. Certainly, if we are to suffer the
pains and penalties, the diseases and losses
among our 1--we stock which English farmers are
complaining Of, it is very clear that we cannot
afford to do it, and had better make haste mora
slowly.
A well-bred, moderately fattened OK should
yield So to go pounds of dressed carcass to 100
pounds of live weight. while an excessively fat
OK may give from Go to 20 per cent. Moderately
fattened shorn sheep should dress So per cent
of the live weight, and very fat ones as high
as IS per cent. This is well understood by
butchers, who base their prices upon the dressed
weight of the four quarters. Thus, if good
quality cattle are reported at 10 cents it means
so Inueh per pound for what the four quarters
will weigh, as the rule is that the forty-two
pounds offa1-hfde, taffow, head, heart, legs,
etc-pays for killing and dressing