Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-05-30
FARM FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.


The manner In W1nterlng cattle In
tended for the next seasons market de-
ponds on the time we intend to market.
And now the question arises Which
Is the best season of the year to put
stock on the marketp" Upon this
there is a difference of opinion. Many
think June, or even the earlier part OF
the season, the best, as prices rule
higher than in the fall. But to close
observers it will be manifest that the
greatest difference in prices is in the
slippery, habitat stock, while choice
stock rules nearly as high in the fall as
In the spring. Cattle never weigh, to
their appearance, as well during the
early part of the season as they do in
the fall, and after having wintered
them we like to have the benefit OF
the pasture season. However, each
has some advantages and disadvant-
ages. 1t often suits farmers better to
sell part of their cattle early in the
season, and keep part of them until
fall. When intended for early market,
they should come into winter quarters
in good condition, and the feeding
should begin. 1t should be moderate
at first, say one-half gallon chopped
feed per head, with all the good hay
they will eat, and during the day they
should occupy a yard by themselves,
or in fact, should have stabling and
yardage as nearly isolated from other
cattle as possible. 1t is folly for any
one to attempt to lay down a rule by
which we can be governed concerning
the amount of grain to he fed from
time to time. In all my experience in
feeding l never yet have found two
seasons which it would be practicable
to feed the same amount. The feed
er's Judgment must be depended on,
and the grain ration increased
enough to keep them steadi-
ly growing and improving I'M
til pasture comes. Then don't
be in too great a hurry to turn
out. 1t is better to let the grass have
good start and harden some. Then
dry day should be chosen for turning
out. 1t is a good plan to bring them in
for two or three evenings and feed them
hay at night They eat more of it than
one might suppose. Care must be TAX
en- in order to not ovcrfeed with grain
until they become accustomed to the
grass; then they should be fed very
literally, and be forced right along I'M
til they are ready for market
When intended for the fall market it
will be necessary to pursue a different
course. During my early experience
in cattle feeding, thought it necessary
to feed them all summer to have them
ready for market. When the time
would arrive when the pasture becomes
more dry, | found that they spent too
much of their time at the troughs, de-
pending more on the grain than on the
pasture. This led me to abandon this
plan of feeding, and adopt the three
months or one hundred days system.
They may be wintered much thesame
as yearlings, except they should have
rather more grain until spring, when
they can be turned TO pasture with
nothing except regular sailing. And
by September l we find them round
and plump, and TO the inexperienced
they will appear TO be fat; but when
we come to handle or weigh, we find
they are soft, but in splendid shape to
begin feeding. We mention Septem-
Der because three months from this
date brings December 1, and the last
of November or first of December is a
good time to sell, as this is about the
beginning of cold weather, the time
that cattle fatten the best. The feed
ing should be quite moderate at first,
and if steer refuses to eat sprinkle
his fdod with salt or bran, or anything
that will tempt the appetite. When it
it is found that every one will eat, in
crease the feed steadily until about
October l, when new corn can be had.
Here | would note that in my expert
ence l have never found any
thing equal to new corn for fattening
cattle, and they will eat it in prefer
ence to anything else. 1t should be
broken or cut into small pieces to en-
able them to chew it easily. With the
corn increase the rations gradually,
but as rapidly as possible, and when
ever corn can be cribbed after being
well sorted, they thould be fed of the
refuse corn twice a day all they will
eat up clean. There is no danger oil
laundering steer if his feed has been
increased gradually. During this time
the feeders vigilance is in demand
seeing that every steer is receiving
his share of feed. 1t is good plan to
give food of some different kind every
few days, which will sharpen theil
appetites. If preferred, they may
be fed each alternate feed with chop
ped feed, but | prefer plenty of corn
and if few pigs are turned in will
them once day, there will be no los
from feeding whole CORN. B., il