The silver star., 1898-03-10
CATTLE FEEDING.


O0nnls Sheedy Tells OF HIS successful TX
pericncc.
Dennis Sheedy has been conducting
experiments for two years at the
Union Real Estate Live Stock Invest
ment Company's ranch at Greenland.
Douglas county, of which he is man
ager. which have demonstrated that
Colorado farmers can fatten cattle on
feed raised on their own land that
will bring higher prices on the market
than the best Nebraska or Kansas
corn-fed beef. He has proven also
that there is good profit in the busi-
ness TO the ranchman.
In speaking of their business. Mr..
Sheedy said: There is a rare oppor-
tunity for Colorado farmers to make
money in cattle feeding. Let them
use ensilage. sugar beets. potatoes.
small grain and hay and they will pro-
duce finer beef AT a lower cost than
feeders who use corn. as II requires
less time TO mature the cattle than Il
does with corn feeding. In the fail OF
1896 the company fed sixty head of
8 and 4-year-old steers.
I'VE fed them fifty days on ensilage.
potatoes and hay. They made gain
of over 200 pounds TO the steer. We
fed them on that feed three times
day after the first ten days and they
took the premium and We're sold for
choice Christmas cattle of 1896.
The feed was all raised on the
ranch, without irrigation. The ensi-
lage is made from corn not wholly ma
tured but which has formed in the
ear and Is in the milk. We cut the
stalk close to the ground. chop up the
ears and stalk together and put the
mixture in the silo. where ii fermenrs.
The silo is q tightly boarded. vault
like house partly under ground.
Last fall we did not feed potatoes
Last September We put up 2.oso tons
of ensilage and raised about twenty
five acres of sugar beets, getting from
ten to twelve tons to the acre We
fed 800 head Of and 3-year-old steers
for the market. The feed consisted
common prairie hay They gained
from three TO five pounds per head
per day. We have sold 1Go head.
which brought the highest price of the
season in the Denver market. The
beef was considered very choice. hav
ing much better flavor and quality
than cattle fed on corn.
The same feed is also excellent for
dairy purposes. Cows fed on it yield
an increased quantity of milk of rich
or quality and the animals gain in
flesh. | do not know how it would do
for fattening sheep. as | have had no
experience.
Il consider this legitimate bust
ness; one that can be made TO pay If
properly handled. | do not know of
anyone else who has fed in this way.
but we have demonstrated that il is n
profitable investment and that the
ranchmen can make considerable
money II they will use this feed. No
extra expense for equipment is re-
quired except for the silo. Ours was
built to hold 1000 tons and cost $3.50.
The feeding pens. etc. are the same
as any feeder would require.
The cost of the feed is very low.
We raise from seven TO ten tons of
ensilage 10 rhe acre. In the silo. ready
to feed, II costs ca cents ton. We
get from ten To twelve tons of sugar
beets TO the acre and the cost is SO an
acre, or about 81 per ton. The rye for
rye meal costs about - cents a bushel
and prairie hay costs s1.5O 10 So ton
with this feed the farmer gets an
increased quantity and an improved
quality. He gets x TO ! cent per
pound for improved quality and from
20 TO 800 pounds per steer additional
weight.
These results were obtained with
out irrigation. Corn for making ensi-
lace grows nicely on the divide with
out irrigation by blowing deeply. We
have raised II successfully for five
years. ] do not know how II would
be In the valleys. but / am convinced
that We do not have 10 depend upon
either raising corn or buying il from
adjoining states In order 10 mature
the best quality OF beef cattle in Colo
rado az profit. ! believe that these
results should induce other ranchmen
TO engage in the cattle feeding indus
try and ! know Of no better opportu-
nifty for profitable investment.
The Colorado climate Is very IA
vorable for cattle feeding. as the win
tiers are mild and dry. In the cattle
feeding states east Of us they have So
we're and snowy winters. cold snap,
being succeeded by ihaws. which
makes their feed lots muddy. Under
these conditions stock does not gain
weight rapidly. while In Colorado the
highest percentage Of gain Is obtained.
and II requires only ninety days TO
mature the beef. where II takes six
months In Nebraska or Kansas. -
Denver Republican.