East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-07-15

Corn belt cattle feeders are visibly
perturbed over the prospect, or rather
certainty, of keen competition from
what has heretofore been known as
the range country, says the Breeders
Gazette.
For six weeks past they have been
experiencing this competition on the
Chicago market 1t was their first
taste of it this year, and when they
saw fat steers that had never tasted
grain, outselling their product that
had been on corn six months or so,
their surprise was audible.
Cattle men venture the prediction
that within half a decade the supply
of cattle coming from beyond the
Missouri river will be marketed all
the year round instead of glutting the
stockyards between the latter part of
August and the end of the gathering
and shipping season.
An eastward movement of hay-fed
range cattle was a novelty to the
trade. 1t emanated largely from the
Big Hole Basin in Montana and fur
nished the Chicago market during
May with about $4,000 steers that
aroused enthusiasm among buyers.
They made their debut early in
May, in superb form. selling at $3.50
at the outset, the price gradually
dropping to $5.25 as quality deterior-
ated and the market declined. Their
weight averaged close around 1850
pounds and they invariably outsold
cattle that had been on corn five or
six months.
All through their season they out
dressed most of the corn fed cattle
| by two and three per cent, fact that
coupled with immunity from SHRINK
assured deserved popularity for them
i'm dressed beef making circles. None
of the Big Hole Basin cattle dressed
less than 591s per cent, while the oulk
of them were credited with 60 to 81
per cent on the dressing sheets. Al
the same time corn fed steers were
dressing but SO to so per cent.
"These hay-fed cattle are going to
get a warm reception hereafter" said
James Brown, head cattle buyer Tor
Armour. "By hay-fed, ] mean native
hay. not alfalfa. There is some quail
ity about native hay that gives them
the finish necessary to make gooo
beef. They dress well, shrink little
and owing to good keeping and hand
ling qualities the meat takes well
with the trade.
..Thev have been a revelation tC
buyers this year" Heretofore Mon
| IN thf
Pacific coast, but development of the
industry made it imperative that the
eastern outlet should be sought. II
former years Alaska absorbed con
siderable number of these cattle, bu
Alberta is now producing hay-feC
beef and is able to take care of the
Yukon trade.
our own Pacific Northwest has fur
nished Montana a market for some o
its product, but this year California
Oregon and Washington have haC
abundant humidity, an excess of feeC
and plenty of fat cattle, consequent!
Montana feeders had no alternative
but to turn their faces toward Chi
, cago. To this they were not averse
as their treatment on Pacific coas
markets had not always been salts
factory in the past.
Success scored by hay-feeders thi
season will doubtless prove an incen
tive to increasing the output mex
wear. Good service was furnished b,
} railroads bringing this stock to mar
ket but between Anaconda and Chi
cago a shrink of 100 pounds per hea'
is inevitable.
This fact makes such cattle popula
, with killers, as they are empty whel
they reach the scales. Railroads ar
evidently anxious to encourage hay
feeding, as it will distribute the live
stock movement over their line
throughout the year instead of con
gesting 1t during a few weeks in tn
fall when rolling stock is at pre-
MUM and hard to secure.
In the Big Hole Basin country feed
\ ing is in small hands as rul'
D Droves number 100 to 500 head. Th
cattle are usually started on fee
! about Thanksgiving day. Stockel
are bought in Oregon or Washing
! ton, the average price this year bein
$50 per head for 3-year-olds. Durin
the feeding season the average gal
is about $50 pounds per head-not
bad increase for a five months feeC
ing period without grain. The elevi
ton of the country is about 1900 fee
which makes it an ideal hay produ'
ing ground.
What is known as wild hay is use
exclusively in the Big Hole Basi
& and this year it has netted 81 to
per ton by feeding. Owing to its bul
B and distance from shipping poin
: this hay would have no commerci
. value If not possessed of these fatteI
. ing qualities. Many of the catt
9 marketed this year were driven
,,,,Ia, from, food lots 70 shinDiT