Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-05-02

very best returns in a feed lot, SO far
as early maturity and economy OF gain
are concerned, and when taken to the
market, If finished should find the top.
There Is a leggy sort of sleer, pos
sessing some general roughness, which
will make fair feeder. He will do
AWAY with large quantities of feed.
and will always be up at the rack, but
he will not make such economical gains
| nor will he finish UP at such an early
age. and when he goes to market he
| cannot command the highest price be
cause he is off on general quality. A
steer of this kind Is loser ell around.
| Never select a long headed, long,
slim necked, peaked shouldnred, mar
row backed, slab sided, thin quartered.
cat manned harsh handling; steer to
put into feed lot. Avoid steers that
are weak in constitution. They will
always be source of annoyance by
| going off feed.
| 1t is very doubtful as to whether
1t pays to feed young animals or ami
mails which have not previously had
much grain---much, if any-while the
I'supply of grass lis abundant This is
l especially true of animals which are
| not intended for the early fall mar
ket Tests. made by the Iowa expert
ment station along this line, where
| two punches of cattle of equal quail
| ity We're allowed the run of equal areas
of good bluegrass pasture, one receiv-
| ing grain in addition, and the other
| lot ON grass alone, would lead US to
believe that practically as heavy, and
much more economical gains, can be
secured from grass alone as from
| a ration of grain In addition to grass
during those months when grass is
plentiful During the hot, cry months,
! a small ration of corn was found to
tbe very helpful. This will lie governed
to a certain extent by the supply Of
grass. If the grass is short some
| grain can be fed to advantage. The
preparation of corn for cattle on grass
is an important point. When cattle
are changed from dry feed to grass.
| their mouths soon indicate 4 tenderness,
| that makes the dry. hard corn difficult
of mastication. This calls for prepar-
| alton Of some kind Many advocate
| the grinding of the corn. In our ex-
/, perience, shelled corn which has been
| soaked for about twelve hours has
| given the best satisfaction. The
shelled corn which passes thru the
animal undfgested is more likely to be
utilized by the hogs which follow the
| cattle Where there are no hogs to
follow the cattle, and corn is high in
/ price, it should always be ground, as
1 this will save about IL per cent. Thus,
| the price of corn will determine the
advisability Of grinding The same.
Cattle on grass should be fed grain
| but once. day, and that always In the
| evening The advantages of feeding IN
| the evening ar, that the cattle, being
/ full Of grass then, will consume the
| soaked shelled corn more leisurely than
4 when the stomach is empty. they
soon lie down and Illumination COM
| mences and is far more effective on
1.-THE corn whe d the stomach is full
| Of grass Careful observation leads
us to believe that less urdigested corn
is. found in tile droppings when the
cattle are fed on full stomachs in the
evening than when they, are fed on
empty stomaclls in the morning.
An abundance of grass is one of the
surest ways of securing, good gains.
Too many cattle feeders overcrowd
their pastures, and by so doing are all
WAYS scarce OF grass. Grass to the
knees" Is "a good motto for the cattle
feeder to frame in his cwn mind and
to put into practice on his farm. Plen-
ty of pure. fresh water should always
be available No effort should be made,
however. to induce feeling cattle to
consume large quantities of water, as II
is not considered to be conducive TO
the most economical gains. Fattening
cattle usually shows a strong desire
for salt, and this craving should be
satisfied with reasonable supply me
excessive use OF salt leads to heavy
consumption Of water, which is not
consistent with heavy gains. Where
shelter is provided, granular salt may
be used. but If exposed to the weather. s Y or
rock salt only should be supplied.