The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-05-01
NEW INDUSTRY
IS ADVOCATED
pR. suDDuTH TALKS ON FATTEN.
ING CATTLE FOR MARKET.
IS MOVING WESTWARD
Gives a Paper on "a Balanced Ration
and the Finishing 9uslness"-con-
ditions More IL Favorable in Montana
Than in other Places.

The following paper on ga Balanced
Ration and the Finishing Business"
was given by DR.. w. x. Sudduth Of
Broadview at the Stockgrower's con-
vention held at Miles City last week.
Time was when nearly every pro-
gressive farmer in the corr belt fed
cattle for the Chicago market. The
steady advancement Of land values,
however, has materially curtailed
feeding operations until now the bulk
Of the corn raised in the Mississippi
valley goes yer the scales. Thus
during the past 20 years the finishing
business has gradually moved west
ard to the Missouri river valley.
For nearly a half century I have
watched the steady westward move
ment of the business of fattening cat
tie. In the old days when snapped
corn, corr fodder and, hay formed the
main ration, we used to say that any
one could make money when corr sold
for 80 cents or under. When it ad-
anced to IS cents, if the hogs were
healthy, the feeder could still make
money at the prevailing price Of beef
on the Chicago market. But if his
hogs died of cholera, the feeder did
well to break even.
Price %Prohibitive.
with corn at 40 cents the PROPOSE
ton of feeding even under most favor
able conditions was nothing short of a
gamble. "A raise Of 10 cents a bushel,
making the price around SO cents as
at present, dealt a death blow to the
feeding business, since feeding at that
price is not only improbable, but a
losing proposition. Cheap corn is an
absolute necessity for profit in the
finishing business under the old con
ditions. Feeders who have found this
out to their sorrow are looking for a
cheaper ration.
"For years Funk Bros. tried to Sc
cure the prize for the best carload of
fat cattle at the Chicago Fat Stock
show by feeding their stock OF corn.
corn fodder and clover hay, but it was
not until they added New Orleans mo-
lasses to the ration that they succeed
ed in securing an award.
Corn is king, but science has dem
.onstrated that the kings reifn is COM
ing to an end and the queen, in the
form Of a wheat equally good ration
Is about to usurp the throne.
During the last decade the finish
ing business has made an even great
er westward movement than ever and
as a result of this the semi arid
regions, the land of wheat, barley
and alfalfa is forging to the front.
"Roan King, the Canadian calf that
won the purple ribbon at the Chicago
Fat Stock show last year never tasted
q grain Of corn in his life but was
fattened on a ration Of peas and hay.
Colorado pea fed lambs have been
topping the Chicago market for sew
eral years and are literally coming
money for their owners. Ks
Feeders are finding out that a bal
anced ration is just what the name i'm
plies whether 1t is made up OF hay
and corn or some other grains.s
For the past five years eastern Ne
braska and Kansas have held high rank
on a ration made Of snapped corn,
corn slower and alfalfa hay, but the
steady increase in the price Of corn
is slowly but surely putting this most
excellent ration out of the race.
Cost Is Great Factor.
THE proposition hinges largely on
how cheaply a balanced ration can be
produced. There are several other
factors, however, that are to be con-
sidered. Some Of these are market,
freight rates, shrinkage and last but
not least climatic conditions.
"At the present time it must be ad-
mitted that the distance from maket,
together with the cost of transpor-
alton. and shrinkage is a decided
handicap and the question to be con
sfdered here is. whether the favor
able conditions are sufficient to bal
ance the ditferential in freight rates
and shrinkage.
Montana grass fed cattle have
stood in a class by themselves for a
number Of years. The reputation Of
our cattle first attracted attention to
this state. Conditions must be favor
able to produce such beef as was ship
ped to market from Montana. Physi-
cal and climatic conditions favor this
state as the final resting place for
the westward moving finishing bust
ness.
Here we have a dry equitable
climate, neither too hot or too cold.
We are free from the sleet and cold
rains, which force the corn belt feeder
to- provide expensive shelter and
barns. There is an absence Of mud
in our fields and feed lots and best of
all we can produce the cheapest bal
anced ration in the world. These con-
ditiOns II maintain mako Montana tho