Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-12-23
WESTERN BEEF.

buyers purchased TanBe-DTou bIeei
only when they we're unable to I'll
their feed pens from other sources
and usually offered a much lowe
price for this class OF stock thai
they were willing to pay for tina
secured from other places.
Experience has taught these buy
ers, however, that western range-bret
steers are usually in the very bes1
Of health. They have splendid
frame upon which to build, are well
muscled and boned, and being &C
customed to the rigors Of the western
climate, continue to put ON flesh In
the eastern fed pens when cattle from
other sections, being fed under iden-
teal conditions, are losing flesh on
account Of the inclement weather
conditions. This western steer only
demands that he be given plenty OF
good fresh water and sufficient feed
80 that he may never be hungry and
he will always give a good account
Of himself and return many dollars
in profits to the feeder when he is
sold for the block In the spring.
These steers shed early under fav-
orable conditions, and when they
have reached the stockyards they
show an exterior finish that other cat
tie, lacking the same health and
ruggedness, fail to show. This makes
the western steers ready sellers on
the market, and after they have been
butchered the percentage OF the
weight Of the dressed carcass over
that of other steers under the same
conditionsis SO perceptible as to i'm
mediately attract the attention of
those keen, farsighted men who han
die the yard end OF the business.
The settlement of the West Is rap
idly reducing the amount Of available
range and is forcing the cattle to
90 higher and higher into the hills
in search of forage. This is greatly
the Importance of freely
the ranges within the Nat
ional Forests, and every endeavor is
being made by the Forest Service to
open hitherto inaccessible ranges by
the construction of trails and bridges,
and unused arid ranges by the de-
of water. In these higher
elevations the grass is usually much
finer in quality and more nutritious
while the climate is much more rig
orous; both OF which conditions re-
suit in the animals being in better
health and having more solid flesh
when placed on the feeder markets
in the fail. This fall has seen large
numbers of range-bred steers, most
Of which come from ranges within
National Forests, topping the feeder
markets at all points where feeder
steers are sold.
So great has become the demand
for cattle Of the quality mentioned
that hundreds of stockmen through /
out the West are selling their
punches OF stock cattle and are be-
ginning to handle steers exclusively.
On the old ranges where few years
Ego one was accustomed to see large
herds Of cows and calves, you will
ind today equally large punches
made up entirely Of steers, some of
which may perhaps have come from
Did Mexico, some from Texas, while
Arizona and New Mexico usually fur
fish their quota. These steers are
,rought into these western ranges at
rom eighteen months to two years
I'D. They become acclimated the
irst year, while in the second and
bird years they become sufficiently
nature SO that they may be taken to
market.
The demand for cattle Of this kind
5 greater than the supply, and as in
II other cases where the demand is
reater than the supply the price re-
elved on sale must constantly in
rease. That this Is true of the steer
one can easily ascertain
through conversation with any one
( the western stockmen who make
his a business. They will tell you
hat they have made more money in
he last two or three years in hand
ing steers than they made in ten
ears in handling strictly stock cat
lie.