The Advocate and news., 1898-02-02
Baby Beef and spayed Heifers.

sued by the Kansas Board of AgriCul-
ture devoted to the Beef Steer and His
Sister," Secretary F. d. Coburn ad-
dressed to several of the more extensive
packing concerns Of the country a
series of inquiries to obtain their views
upon a variety of subjects in which the
beef-producer presumably would have
much interest. AS these slaughterers
and packers are the men who invade
the markets Of all lands seeking cash
returning outlets for the meat products
of American pastures and cornfelds and
whose views must in many respects be
from standpoints quite different from
those Of the producer their observations
can not fail to be worthy Of careful per-
usal.
Answers to some of the inquiries sent
them are as follows:
Armour Packing Co." Baby beef has
been very popular. On account of age,
the quality is probably not so good as
that of older stock. The conCensus OF
opinion among retailers is that it can
be cut to better advantage and there is
less waste. 1t has probably not been
in supply equal to the demand and that
has affected it's price. Range men in
the past few years have been putting
great many thoroughbred Hereford and
Shorthorn bulls in their herds, making
it possible to produce good baby beef"
in short time, and the demand for 1t is
growing continually.
Swift & Cove would hardly call
cattle from II to "a months old strictly
"baby beef" would consider baby beef"
to he that from animals 10 to 18 months
old. We think that in a good many
cases this class of meat would bring as
much as beef from animals to 18
months older.
Cudahy Packing Co.-Beef from cattle
IL to 81 months old, If well fattened is
in great demand and more highly es-
teemed than that from animals 6 to l8
months older. One reason for 1t is that
there is not a great deal Of it on the
market, whereas there are numerous
butchers doing small business who do
not want to handle heavy carcass,
especially during the hot weather, but
who at the same time have trade that
demands good beef. It is very seldom
that the market Is overstoCked with
good, fat yearling steers or heifers, yet
through very large portion OF the year
they command as high price as the
1900 to 1,30O-pound steers Of similar
quality.
Schwarzschild & Sul2sberger Co.-Beef
from well-fattened cattle IL to "a months
old is as highly esteemed as that from
cattle to 18 months older, for some
markets only.
ArmUur.-Steers would probably bring
in the neighborhood of so cents per
hundred more than spayed heifers. The
latter are probably worth rs cents more
per hundred than those not spayed.
They have a tendency to be more thor
oughly finished, and there is surety
that she Is not in calf.
-Swift.-We think that 25 cents per
hundred would at nearly all times cover
the difference in price between spayed
heifers and steers Of the same quality,
weight and fastness. Generally one or
two spayed heifers in with load of
steers, If they are Of as good quality and
rlpeness as the steers, sell at an even
price with the steers. We do not con-
slider spayed heifers worth any more
than other heifers Of equal quality not
spayed.
Cudahy.-Steers are worth 35 cents per
hundred more than spayed heifers of
the same age, grade, and general quail
ity. We do not consider spayed helfers
worth any more than those of similar
age, grade and general quality not
spayed.
Schwarzschild.-If Of approximately
the same age, grade and general quality,
spayed heifers would bring from Is to so
cents per hundred less than steers.
Spayed heifers would bring so cents per
hundred pounds more than unspayed, II
Of the same quality and size A spayed
heifer will dress from two to four pounds
per hundred more for live weight than
II spayed, If of equal quality.