Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-12-30
Lioht VS.. Heavy Steers.

1'S'k W. 'iS6Ny SsSSio.
Huge mistakes have been made by
many feeders during the last twelve
months in carrying their steers to an
| Improbable market. There was a time
| when the 1880 or 1000 pound steer
| would bring more per pound than one
weighing LOO or 1.400 pounds. but
| that day has surely passed II Is true
| that the condition of the market this
| year has been To some extent respon-
| sble for the long feeding periods. Men
| held onto their sseers much longer than
was intended at the beginning of the
| feeding period. il the hope that prices
| would rise. As there seemed to be lit
tie recovery in the market. the time ar
rived when they had to he disposed of
| regardless of price, the result being
that many steers weighing In the vi
entity of q ton have been sold at a
sacrifice on the market during the last
few months.
While it is not difficult to under
stand the temptation to carry steers
over with the expectation of finding
better market, yet. all things consid-
cred. it is not wise policy to pursue.
1t may be depended upon that the
other fellow is doing the same thing,
| the normal result of which Is heavy
loss for all. The prime reason why q
heavy steer is not worth as much per
pound as one weighing 1900 or 1.40O
pounds. Is that his carcass is much
more wasteful than the carcass OF
lighter steer In any event there can
only be so much lean meat on an ami
NAL. and If he is carried to great
| weight the surplus is largely made up
of fat, hence the butcher has diff
Guilty in disposing of such meat.
In the past men have not been able
to predict with any degree of accuracy
the condition of future markets, and
undoubtedly this condition will prevail
in the future. This being true. a feed
err should decide when he places his
animals in the feed lot on the question
of how long he should feed, or how
much increase he should make on the
carcass. and whan this time is reached
they should be disposed Of The We'll
finished steer. Weighing from 1900 to
1.500 pounds will outsell one that is
heavier. no matter how highly finished
he may be. The lighter steer will
not only furnish better quality of
meat but there Will be much less
waste in his carcass. We hope to see
the time when men are educated to
the point where even the LOO pound
steer will be strictly out of fashion.
At our large fat stock shows there is
no longer a class for the three-year-
olds although even the two-year- olds,
which generally go into the ring al
about thirty-siX months, are made to
approach an improbable weight. II
would not be surprising IL the time
should come in the not very distant
future when premiums will not be
awarded on animals over thirty
months. AS 1t is possible to bring
them up to 1.5o0 or 1900 pounds In
this time, Jus. as good a showing could
be made In the ring. while such classes
would have a tendency 10 educate
taste in the right direction. We must
learn chat the young steer Will make
greater gains fer a given number OF
pounds consumed than The Old steer,
and that therefore the QUICKER feeder
can bring his animals to weigh 1.3oo'
i,4oO or 1900 pounds and market them
the mora profit there will b. In II for
him,