The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-10-20

The feeding of cattle for beef Is re-
ceiving more attention since feedstufIs
fell i'm price, and in order to add to the
knowledge on the subject the expert
ment stations have been busy in test
ing all systems of feeding that could
be used for making discoveries. The
Ontario Station comes forward and
asserts that calves fed on skim milk
and linseed meal will equal in weight
at one year old those fed on whole
milk This fact should encourage
farmers TO retain every calf, especially
as il is known that steers matured and
marketed at two years old give so per
cent. more profit than S-year-old steers.
OF course, the experiments were made
with cattle of the beef breeds, as steers
of no breeding will not prove proiita-
BILE at any age, and as skim milk is
considered almost valueless on farms
the cost of raising the calves in SOME
localities is but very little. The raising
of the calves from pure-bred ar good
grade stock Is matter to be considered,
as the most difficult obstacle in the
way of progress Of beef production is
the fact that but few farmers raise their
calves, but go out and buy steers to be
fatted. AS a calf can be kept on low
price ration, and with the aid of the
pasture carried to the age of two years
at a small cost, there should be large
profit derived from them when sold so
early in their lives
FEED AND GAINS.
1t was determined by the feeding
experiments that a steer weighing
1000 pounds requires II pounds of food
to make one pound of gain, and that
2-year-old steer will eat its own weight
of feed every two weeks and gain II
pounds per day. The food includes
both that which is bulky and concen-
trated. Stalled steers, will shrink 40
pounds each if tasted II hours in the
stalls, the weight of each steer being
estimated at 100 pounds. Heifers con-
fined in box stalls constantly fiom birth
did not breed at as early an age as
those having freedom. Cutting the
nay and pulpiug the roots fed to fat
tening steers produced II pounds more
gain per day than when the same
quantity of hay was fed alone. Cattle
made an average Of 81 tons of solid and
liquid manure the first year, 81 tons
the second year, and o tons the third
year. The value of this manure de-
pends upon the kind of food given,
but may be placed rs high as 500 for
the three years, estimating the nitro
gen, potash and phosphoric acid at the
prices usually paid for such articles in
the form of commercial fertilizers. 1t
rarely happens, however, that the
farmer derives the full value of the
manure owing 10 waste from several
sources. The increase in weight of
steers varies, and they may he forced
or retarded in growth according TO the
food and shelter. The estimates given
are the results of experimenting with
several lots in order to arrive at "A
knowledge of the facts
FEEDING THE FARM CROPS.
The hauling of green corn, rape and
silage to cattle when the pastures were
short returned fair profit, aud mixed
grasses were preferred by cattle TO tim
othy and clover. There is less cost in
fattening cattle than in raising them,
but also less fertility TO the soil. Corn
ensilage and meal was not deemed as
safe rs when a pound of cut straw was
mixed with three pounds of ensilage.
While it pays TO purchase grain and
linseed meal for feeding purposes the
more of the food that can be grown on
the farm and fed to cattle the better, as
there is always a cost in hauling to the
farm, while the use of farm products
permits of the saving of foods that
would be wasted or find no market
Sheep will serve to assist In consuming
portions of the home grown foods that
might not be utilized 10y cattle. Cattle