The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-12-01

the station referred to enquiring into
this very question. First, 1t should
be said that both methods are follow
ed with varying success. Cattle may
be put on full feed in from fifteen to
thirty days without apparent injury.
The advantage of this method is
saving IN time or a shortening of the
feeding period. 1t contributes to larg-
er gains during the first part of the
feeding period, and taking the whole
feeding period together, it is believed
to induce a larger consumption OF
concentrates and a consequent smaller
proportion of roughages. With this
system of feeding the gains grow
smaller and more expensive during
the latter part of the feeding period.
provided the same extends five months
or more of full feeding and provided
aged rather than young cattle are In
volved.
In dealing with short fed cattle, get
ting cattle on full feed in fifteen to
twenty days is undoubtedly advisable,
but if cattle are to be in the feed lot
| six months, they can be given a very
creditably marketable finish where
thirty TO forty-five days of that time
are employed in getting them on full
feed. The advantages of this method
are: The steers ration is at first
made up of such bulk as to permit OF
the steers eating all they wish with
out any danger of getting the cattle
off feed or deranging the digestive
organs. The grain ration is SO gradu'
ally increased that the steers become
accustomed to handling a heavier and
more highly concentrated ration. This
method is safer in the hands of the
novice. Gains are not SO large dur
ing the first part of the feeding period,
| as they are where cate are put on
feed more rapidly, but they are still
| economical as viewed from the stand
point of feed consumed to produce
this gain. AS the feed is increased
| slowly and regularly the gains in
! crease with the extent and concentra-
ton of the ration until the gains dur
| ing the last sixty days of a six months
feeding period are just as large and
frequently as economical as at other
periods during the fattening process
| Steers so handled can be more safely
carried beyond the time planned to
market them in case occasion seems
to warrant such holding than they can
where started more quickly.
Where thirty days to six weeks
are employed in getting cattle on
full feed, the cattle so handled very
seldom consume the large amounts OF
corn and other concentrates reported
by cattle feeders who practice get
ting cattle on feed more rapidly. The
| gains made per unit of feed consumed
| compare very favorably with the quick
feed method even though a larger pro-
portion of the ration consists of rough
age. The end and aim of the cattle
finishing process is, | take it, to get
marketable finish at the least cost,
considering cost of feeds used and in
terest on investment. Economical
gains contribute very largely to bring
| ing about this result and is, in fact,
q more important factor than little
extra time, which may be required by
getting cattle on feed in more ration
al maner With good alfalfa or clover
hay used as roughage, it is undouDt-
edly better practice to get cattle on
! full feed more slowly than where corn
slower, timothy hay, or straw con-
stitute the roughage. Again, if, for
any reason, it is desirable to get cat
tie on feed quickly, the supplement
! ing of corn with some heterogeneous
concentrate like ground linseed cake
Coil meaD, gluten, or cotton seed meal
| is recommended. Granting that not
less than thirty days are to be used
in getting cattle on full feed, the
writer would feed the cattle all the
clover or alfalfa hay they would eat
ND without waste and in addition,
start with two pounds corn per steer
per day, increasing the corn at the