The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1886-09-09
BeefGathering.

g. ~ oOo1Ao eAdp pal
those along the line of the Union Pacific
road, are inclined to be discouraged, and (
are thinking of opening the food gates
and letting their cattle come to market
regardless Of condition or prices. At I
least this is the gist ofsIthe conclusions
reached by very prominent managers.
The reason given is that late rains on 4
the prematurely cured grass has done
more harm than good, having washed
out much of the essential lsubstance. In
view Of this fact and the present low
prices, number Of cattlemen are said to h
have decided that there must. be rush (
of immature beeves to MARKET and that
they had as well gather freely and: take
low prices early now as later in the sea
son. &.
In thisss connection Fisisthe Following
from the Rocky Mountain Husbandman:
The question: that: presents. itself is,
shall they gather!!everYthing Sthat is
marketablessor only the prime beef? We
unhesitatingly say sgather everything
that will possibly do for:the block. Gath
or the steers closely, including 3-year-
olds and stays, also all the old dry cows,
The loss in 1.-THE winter and spring is
largely of the offspring of dry cows, for 7
they calve in early spring or late winter
and are almost sure to lose, their calves.
If the weather is severe and feed scarce
they will die also. Beef is low. very low,
and prices are tending downward, while
the market continues to grow weaker
every day. But, for all that, it will be
better to sell even at a low figure than
endanger the whole herd by having the
range overstocked.
The good advice above is not, unmixed
with evil. 1t is better to make bad beef
OF weaklings that could noe stand the;
rigors of winter than to let them die on
the range; and every preeaution should
be taken to prevent oyerstocking the
ranges. But the object of stock raising
is to put on the markets products that
will bring to the producers the largest
possible returns This cannot be. done
by indiscriminately crowding forward
the very kinds that are in least demand, !,
and the kinds which. if forced upon the
trade, will injure the market fol, all be-
low the very finest grades Of stock There
are two classes into which range stock
may be divided at market. Beef CATTLE,
fat, or at least feshy, and canning stock.
Feeding cattle come in as sub class, as
they sell inside Of the range Of prices for
Gamers. Between the best canning cat
tie and the best range beef cattle there,
is usually a difference Of about $l.O0 to.
$1.25 per cwt. As a general thing, tho,
best Wyoming range steers and good
range cows will come in these two res
pective classes very nicely. But take q,
shipment of thin and medium steers, and
. they cannot class as beef cattle and are
J; above the canning grade: thus coming
: between two classes Of buyers and strik-
], ing neither. Then all depends ON the
\ supply. Should such a lot happen here
|. on very light run and an advancing
, market, they would be taken BY the men
J and forced to fill the places at good
j ,Eprices. But such conditions, as shippers
Z we'll known. are only too rare. and nine
cases ont Of ten such cattle have to bt
sacrificed at about canning prices. Ths
journal urgently advises rangelnen t
! carefully study and comply with the de.
yas