The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-05-28
PRODUCTION or BABY BEEF
BY Andrew Boss in Northwestern Asri-

ny Anurew BOSS IN H9rl-
c~ulturist.
Baby beef has been a popular topic
with agricultural and live stock writers
for a number Of years. The topic seems
to strike a popular chord wherever
IL is brought up, and the advocates
Of baby beef production have put up
many plausible arguments for their
views.
TO understand the situation fully,
We should perhaps consider the defini-
by modern writer's, baby beef refers
to animals between the ages OF
IL and "a months. These animals
should weigh not more h a 100 to
1900 pounds, must be of good form,
and above all. must be fat. To pro-
dnce beef of this Kind, 1t is necessary
to allow h calf TO nurse its dam or
TO be very carefully raised by hand.
Grain must be fed from the time the
calf will eat, which is usually at 2
or 3 months Of age until he is finished
for the market. There must be no
shrinking in growth at any period. The
calf fat which is produced during the
nursing period must be maintained
during weaving time n added
to as the calf gains age. 1t will be
noted that gains made under such
circumstances are necessarily more ex-
pensiVe than gains made on coarser
feed and at a slower rate.
The advocates of baby beef have
based their opinions on the larger
an undisputed fact that the nearer
the birth date animals are fed, the
larger the gains made for feed con-
sumed. In reviewing the records of
cattle fed at the experiment station.
/ find that during the first yea Of
growth, beef calves will average about
two to two and one-half pounds daily.
During the yearling period the
rag gain will be n n one-half
to one and three-fourths pounds and
as 2-year-olds from three-fourths to
one and one-half pounds daily. These
weights prevail only when the cattle
are fed for baby beef or crowded from
birth to maturity. Mature cattle in
this condition after growth of body
Of 2h to 81 pounds daily for a short
period only. The figures gained
from other sources ~substantiate this
statement. An additional advantage
through feeding young animals is III
saving the maintenance ration during
a considerable period. The fact has
been established that it requires q GER
tain amour Of feed to maintain the
functions OF breathing, digestion and
supplying warmth to h body. II, by
reducing the period of maturity 800
days, we can save something like five
or six pounds OF grain fed daily for
300 days, II is an item worth consid-
ering. The FAC should be borne in
mind, however, that the gain in
mails is of soft flesh which is watery
by nature instead of fat, and that
the flesh lacks substance and flavor;
also that baby beef finishes" or
takes on fat slowly. Starting with
n calf at the weaving period, which
would be at about 6 months OF
age, 1t would require about Il
the growth and supply sufficient fat
to finish the animal for the prime
beef market. During these II to Is
months the young animal must have
a constant supply OF the best Of feed
which an usually be supplied only
at a considerable expense. Older cat
tie, say those Of Is to IS months,
a be put on grain feed after a con-
siderable growth a been made on
cheap feed, and finished in prime con
dition for the market in -four or five
months of full grain feed.
An essential factor In the econom-
ical production of baby beef is
the breeding of the cattle. Before
farmers can hope to supply the de-
mands of the market for this class
of beef, they must improve their beef
stock. Calves must inherit the ten
dency to quick fattening, which is
present only in the best beef brands
of cattle. even within the breeds there
is a great tendency to variation and
certain families Of each breed seem
to possess more Of the form and ability
to produce thick, quickly fattening Off
spring han others. This ability should
be used to the best advantage and
combined with feed and management
suitable to quick growth and finish
IL success is to be attained in baby
beef production. Under suitable con-
ditions 1t is a profitable undertaking
out it has no place with the only av-
erage' feeder.
It's a good thing to be sure, but don't