The daily sentinel., 1909-12-14

+ This class of stock than they +
& were willing to pay for that Sc 1.
+ cured from other places. =
-t<++++ r +
Experience has taught these buy
era however. that western range
bred steers are usually in the very
ibes1 of health. They have splendid
frame upon which to build, are well
lnuscled and boned. and, being ac-
1customed to the rigors of the western
climate, continue to put on flesh in
the eastern feed pens when cattle
from other sections, being fed under
identical 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
so that he may never be hungry, and
he will always give 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 ia
vorable conditions, and when they
have reached the stockyards they
show an exterior finish that other
cattle, 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
conditions is SO perceptible as to i'm
mediately attract the attention OF
those keen far-sighted men who han
die the yard end of the business.
The sett cement of the west is rap
idly reducing the amount of availa-
BILE range aud 10 forcing the cattle
TO go higher and higher into the hills
m search of forage. This Is greatly
increasing the Importance of freely
utilizing the ranges within the ma
tionfl 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 devel-
opment of water. In these higher ell
evations 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
an the fall. This fall has seen large
numbers of the range-bred steers. the
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
ont the west are selling their bunch
es of stock cattle and are beginning
10 handle steers exclusively. On the
old ranges. where a few years ago
one was accustomed to see large herds
of cows and calves. you will find to-
day equally large punches made up
entirely of steers. some of which may
perhaps have come from old Mexico.
some from Texas, while Arizona and
New Mexico usually furnish their
quota. These steers are brought into
these western ranges Mt from is
months to years old. They become
acclimated the first year, while in
the second and third years they be-
come sufficiently mature so that they
may be taken to market.
The demand for cattle OF this kind
rs greater than the supply; and. as
in all other cases where the demand
is graeter than the supply. the price
received ON sale must constantly in
crease. That this is true of the steer
business, one can easily ascertain by
conversation with any one of the
western stockmen who make this a
business. They will tell you that
they have made more money in the
last two or three years in handling
steers than they made in ten years
in handling strictly stock cattle.