Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-04-10
FOR THE STOCK RAISER.
AN IMPORTANT PAPER ON EARLY
MATURITY OF CATTLE.

Early Maturity the Greatest Advantage
to Be Derived from Good ~Blood-Tke
Roam Shorthorn Bull Is the Best-De-
licious' Beef from Young Animals.
Mr.. Mohler, the secretary Of our board
of agriculture, has from a great number
of estimates established for Eastern Kan
sas the cost of the ordinary 3-year-old
steer at $27, requiring in addition fifty
to eighty bushels of corn to make him
marketable at 1900 to 1900 pounds,
which of course means a heavy loss. 1t
has seemed to me that especially in these
times cattlemen as a rule have alto
maturity. almost the greatest value de-
rived from good blood.
Since l have for the last four or five
years been forced by the bad markets to
give up the ordinary steer feeding 1
have been trying what a few calves and
%yearlings could be made to do, and as
the result each year has been the same
the facts to me seem established. They
have been pure bred and grade steers by
good bulls; generally winter calves de-
cember, January aud February, sold
usually in December. In five years
the calves averaged $40 to $50 pounds at
eleven months old. and have brought
from $3.50 to s.. The yearlings, kept just
twelve months longer, have averaged
from 1910 to 1880 pounds, and have
sold at the AN prices. The calves have
raro1n11y- lo,1 3,pSt rf t1n,i. ,1,I,r. will
till SIX or seven months. and have con-
sumed twenty bushels Of corn, average
price, s.: 900 pounds of bran. average
price, s.: 800 pounds oil meal, average
price, s.; total. $i3.
In addition TO this they had Il small
amount of pasture aud What hay they
would eat, which together | cannot esti-
mate at more that 81. The calves have
paid well, the yearlinys have barely held
their own. and nave taken the space and
feed Of nearly two calves during the
twelve months held over, saying nothing
Of accidents OF interest. cannot help
believing, therefore, that any good 100
acre far1n-half in grass and half in
grain-can keep twenty-five to thirty
good grade COWS now worth $50, and Il
good roam Shorthorn bull, easily had at
$50 to 300; feed the calves from the
start and sell at eleven or twelve months
old, and make the business pay a direct
profit Saying nothing of the hogs as
well as keep up the land by Il proper
saving Of the manure; to do which my
way Is to gather up everywhere it a be
had all the straw, roughness and litter
Of every sort; Use it as bedding in every
lot and stall, and get it on the land just
as fast us possible.
J emphasize the color of the bull in all
earnestness, for every year only con-
vinces me more firmly that when it is a
question of aptitude to fatten, early ma
turity and thrift there is always a great
advantage on the side of the roans. | do
not any one to infer that Il good red
bull is Objectionable. but when the ques-
ton is one of the greatest gain in the
least time and at least cost | indicate on
Which side the chances are greatest.
The thing indispensable in the breed
ing Of such stock is early maturity, and
in the feeding absolute and perfect regu-
larity, watching the appetite and per-
uniting III securing. Eyes and brains
must work as well as the hands. EARLY
maturity and proper calf feeding-on
these two commandments hang all the
law and the profits. The long, big
framed, rlngy, slow maturing animal of
any kind-cattle, hog or sheep-is a thing
Of the past. Small bones, wide chests,
short legs, compact build, good coats,
and thick, soft hides now rule in the
scale Of points, and they must be had
and utilized to the fullest extent if we
wish to compete with the range" keep
up the fertility of the farm and have the
bank account on the right side.
| have a few old friends who some
times talk about ''insipid baby beef"
"vealy.' ctr. The old motto. DE gus
THUS" etc. of course applies here. All
| can say i, | have never heard any COM
plant from butchers or buyerS, and the
best beef | ever ate, making me hungry
even in thought for more. WIS Il IA
mOnths-oll ShorthOrn steer fed in this
way. From his hooks to his ears it was
all perfect beef, fine grained, tender and
juicy. The whole family respects his
memory.-W. A. Harris in Breeders
Gazette.
The Queens Heifer.
In the picture before us is a likeness