St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-06
BEEF ANIMALS.
The Extravaganza of Pasturing
Cattle Over Large Tracts of
Land.

inc FAGrdV5Gance Oh FaSturlnS
Cattle Over Large Tracts Of
Land.
The time will come when beef cattle
will be raised on small farms, and the
food cut and carried to the cattle in
stead of using the land for pasture, says
the Philadelphia Record. The system
of pasturage is apparently the most
profitable of all methods for raising cat
tie, and no doubt it will DE difficult to
convince farmers that other systems are
cheaper and better; but, when the farm
their operations to smaller areas,
they will be surprised to learn
that they have before been
using the most eXtravagant system
that is possible to be applied to dairying
that of pasturing over large tracts.
Even with our advanced system of agri-
culture and stock raising the farmers
have not become fully awakened to the
Importance of the use of thoroughbred
cattle for the production of beef, butter
and milk: and until they have,as class,
graded their stock to degree nearly
reaching the full-bred, they will not
kindly adopt the intensive methods, but
must ultimately be forced from their
to their advantage.
WASTE OF LAND FOR PASTURE.
The value of the land, the interest on
its value, and the possible profit from
its use are factors that should enter into
the expenses of dairying or Battlefield
ing. Whether it is cheaper to allow the
cattle to go to the pasture, harvest the
grass and bring it to the barn in their
stomachs, or whether it is cheaper to
cultivate the land in order to derive all
that it will produce, and feed the
produce to the cattle at the barn,
IS the important question that
is receiving more attention than any
other relating to feeding at the present
time, and the ultimate solution will de-
pend on the growth of the country and
the value of the land. But every farmer
has had some experience in a eompari-
son of the two systems, for the fatten-
ing of steers in winter is simply the APP
plicatiOn of the intensive system
through necessity, as the lack of pastur-
age forces the farmer to keep his stock
confined in order that he may feed and
care for them with as little labor as
possible.
THE PROFITS DERIVED.
The largest profit derived is from the
manure, as but so per cent of the food
eaten Is digested and assimilated, the
cattle carrying away from the farm but
that proportion, though this may vary
according to the kind of food provided.
If the cattle gave no profit, when sold,
over the cost of the food, the manure
would still remain as a large item in
their favor. The fattening of steers,
however. as at present practiced.
is for the farmer to go on the mar
ket and buy lot for that pur-
pose. If he becomes interested in the
Improvement of his stock he will learn
that it is cheaper to raise his steers and
fatten them, for he can secure more
beef from well bred three-year-old
steer than from two steers bought from
dealers, as there is just that difference
between the two classes of ANIMALS.
Good breeding with the use of ensilage
and grain ana the young animals
forced in growth from the start will not
only give larger profit. but allow more
land to be cultivated by more econom-
ical system of feeding.