The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-03
MANAGEMENT.

Several systems of management are in
vogue throughout the country. One class
OF producers do not feeding except what
is necessary to maintain their herds dur
ing severe weather. Their cattle subsist
almost entirely on pasture and the steers
are sold at an early age to be fattened il
the grain growing districts. This is the
system of the range, where pasture is
abundant and cheap and grain expensive.
In the grain growing districts, especially
Iii the corn belt, may stockmen reverse
this practice and, although feeding an
nually many thousands of cattle, breed
none, but take their feeders from the
range. Their farms usually produce large
amounts OF grain: no more pasture is
maintained than necessary to give the
steers on feed ample range The feed pro-
duced on the farm is not always sufficient
to fatten the cattle and immense quanti-
ties are purchased. In these cases, what
we may call 1.-The balance of fertility" is
in favor of the farm and its productive
ness is constantly increasing. This system
is most profitable where land is expensive
and grain and hay abundant.
In some grain producing sections there
are farmers who, in spite of extensive
land, raise their own feeders. AS a rule,
these stockmen breed few cattle, but these
are of the best. The calves are taught
to eat very early and are crowded from
the start. They never know what it is 10
be hungry, but they are not allowed to
lose appetite through overlooking. This
requires the highest skill on the part OF
the stockman. The object of such a sys
TEN. is the production of the greatest
amount of beef in the shortest possib
time. Every economy must be practiced
in the saving of labor and manure and
the economy of feeding methods.
When a stockman wishes to raise his
own feeders and finds pastures relatively
cheap but grain expensive, there Will
probably be greater profit where full
feeding is practiced for only part OF
the steers life-say from 20 or "a months
to 80 months. The calves may run on
good pasture with their dams and in the
following winter, pasture on winter
crop with just enogh hay and grain to
keep them in condition. The following
summer they may be given run on pas
ture and in the fall be put on full feed,
finishing late in the spring or IN the fol-
lowing fall. If summer feeding is objec-
tionable, they may be kept until the sec
ond fall after birth and fed during the
winter.
Under this system care must be taken
not to starve the calves through the first
winter If ample pasture is at hand,
they can be kept in fish by the use of Il
comparatively small amount of food, es-
pecially if they have learned to eat while
following the cows. 1t is important that
a steer be kept gaining from birth. The
flesh put on as growth is the cheapest
gain and the dearest to regain when lost.
All farmers know that stunted calf or
a runt pig are almost impossible to fat
ten. 1t is not necessary to force the cat
tie as is done by some corn belt feeders,
but it will be found the better economy
to keep them steadily gaining.
l take it that this last system is the
one best adapted to cattlemen in the
South. The calves can make their, first
growth on pasture, and the steers be fin
ished at the age of 80 to 36 months. The
present tendency is to finish cattle at SO
rather than at Sc months, because the
older steer gets the more expensive
is he to feed. Southern stockmen will
doubtless eventually find that they cannot
afford to feed steer much past two and
half years.