The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1906-04-04


iced markets for his feeders. The
quality of the calf raised by the aver
age farmer is not a profitable animal
to finish as yearling beef. If the feed
er depends upon the stock yards for
his calves, the conditions are even
worse, since it is almost impossible to
secure high grade feeders of any age
at the stock yards. For profitable pro-
ductiOn of yearling beef the feeder
must have a high-grade bunch of
calves. Since it is almost impossible
to buy the desired quality of calf, it
then becomes necessary for the feeder
to raise his own feeders. Some of the
advantages of producing yearling
beef are:
1. The grains are cheaper than with
older animals.
2. 1t is only with yearlings that one
can make grains at same cost per
pound as the selling price per pound.
3. The element of speculation and
uncertainty is reduced, because there
is little danger that the selling price
will go below cost of grains. In case
of full aged steers the market value
of finished beef is almost always less
than cost of grains, and may even go
below cost of feeder.
f. Yearling beef is marketable at any
age and is therefore more able to take
advantage of market conditions than
| the old steer who must go when he is
ripe and whose cost of gains, if he is
held, far exceed the gain in price
which might be obtained by holding.
,. Heifers may be turned off as
yearIing beef equally well with steers.
This is not possible at any other age.
This is rather an important factor since
heifer calves almost invariably sell
cheaper than bull calves.
| q. In production of yearling beef
COWS may constitute larger proper
ton of herd than in the feeding of
older cattle; hence a larger prOduc-
ton of cattle may be turned Off an
nually. In feeding older beef it is
necessary to have not only your feed
ers, but also your yearlings which are
to be fed the following year, or at )
years old as the case may be. This
enters into the proposition only when
the feeder is raising his own calves.
The larger the breeding herd the
larger prOpOrtiOnate amount of rough
age may be used; since the ration of
the breeding herd will contain a much
greater proportion of rOughage than
the ration for fattening steers.
Z. In raising yearling beef there is
not so great risk of loss as in purchas-
ing the older cattle. The gains are
cheaper, the investment less and the
ability to take advantage of market
conditions greater.
s. In breeding yearling beef one
can always have such cattle as will
!, bring the best price on the market as
: finished beef. If one is dependent ON
the feeder market it is very difficult
to get such cattle.
, 1t is only fair to say that in grow
} ing baby beef grain must constitute
: a greater proportion of the ration than
| in feeding older cattle. Since, how
} ever, the gains of the young animal
are cheaper, this fact is of little i'm
portance, except that it necessltates
, a greater production of grain crops.
, If buying calves for baby beef, buy
7 fat, grOwthy calves of high quality.
: Baby beef cannot be made with profit
l from a thin, stunted or common breed
= calf. The calf to be used for baby
1 beef should have grain from the time
: he first begins to eat it until he goes
t to market, and should never be allow
, ed to lose flesh at any time during the
process. The calf will learn to eat
grain more quickly if he is not allowed
to run with COW, and will not suffer
l so great a setback when milk is taken