The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1911-09-26

twenty-five years ago the popular |
beef animal was mountain of meat |
and tallow. Pasture land was cheap |
and labor low in price; SO the raiser |
3ould afford to keep the animal until |
1t weighed a ton before putting it
on the market The buyer wanted
this kind OF animal, for meat was
cheap and the consumer could buy
large cuts. But new factors have
brought about change in values. AS
land and labor increased in price the
farmer found that the longer he kept
an animal the more of his labor went
In maintenance and this lessened his
profit Just that much. Then he found
that the higher priced lands could not
be used for beef and that there was
more money in raising corn. So men
who had been engaged In raising cat
tie for market started raising corn,
and bought their steers from those
occupying cheap lands and finished
them off themselves. Throughout the
corn belt the popular steer has ranged
for "a TO 80 months old, says the
Homestead. The majority of fattened
steers went to market at 80 months,
Weighing from 1900 to 1850 pounds.
The farmer preferred to feed these
animals because there was generally
a good demand for them in the mar
ket. When purchased from western
cattle raisers they were in thin con-
dition. but we're rugged, thrifty, had
good appetites. and were in the best
shape to make rapid gains.
During the last few years. due to
the fact that the sheep industry has
been encroaching on the land in the
west, and irrigating projects have
made fruit raising successful, vast
range areas have heen cut into small
farms for settlers who have no money
to invest in cattle. Then, too. great
numbers of COWS and young stock are
being sent to market each year, with
: consequent decrease in the number
Of breeding animals on the range. One
, Of the greatest problems that con
, fronts the cattle feeder of today i:
where to get hold of feeders.
A number of people who used t.
: feed cattle till "a or 80 months O
age In the corn belt are attempting t
raise their own calves and marke
| them around IL months of age or be
i tween the ages of ~ and IS months
l and weighing from 800 to LOO
pounds. This is what is known a
I the baby beef proposition, and it i
question that is exciting more IL
, lerest every year among cattle feet
9 ers and producers.
" Baby beef has not been popular wit
5 steer feeders because under cond
TOMS formerly existing the man 0
& the range could produce them NOR
q cheaply than the man in the corn be
:ould buy them. The extra land nece
sary for maintaining breeding COW
l, could be used for corn the feedin
"a period of the baby beef animal Taste
"a from to or ~ months. while tn;
r. Of the "a and 30-months-old steer on
70 lasted from 90 to 1870 days. Then, to
III greater uniformity and more indie
'u tons Of better breeding are necessal
In the baby beef proposition In feed1
E. out older cattle. Greater skill in fee
e. Ing and caring for the young ANNA
o. Is also necessary than In the case
Cd the older ones whose appetites do n
1T have, to be catered to. The killer al
re disseminated against the younger al
en- NAL because the carcass of the old
animal usually carried a little firm
~ flesh than the young animal, and the
re Is less water In the carcass. so tn
they kill out a larger per cent. of go
IN meat The feeder himself found tn
Ply unless he exercised great vigilant
lrr the young animals shrunk more in
81 Ing shipped to market and finally t
m consumer favored the meat from t
older animal
en- II the cattle feeder aims to produ
his own feeders, he cannot afford
all