The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1911-08-31

twenty-five years ago the popular
beef animal was a mountain OF meat
and tallow. Pasture land was cheap |
and labor low in price; so the raiser |
could afford to keep the animal until /
Il weighed a ton before putting II
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 a 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 of themselves. ThroughoI. the
corn belt the popular steer has ranged
for "a 10 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 we're in thin con-
dition, but were 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
7 west, and irrigating projects have
4 made fruit raising successful. vast
range areas have been cut into small
!. farms for settlers who have no money
5 to invest in cattle. Then. too. greai
numbers of COWS and young stock are
!, being sent to market each year, viii
/, a consequent decrease in the numbe
!, OF breeding animals on the range. On
J, OF the greatest problems that con
/; fronts the cattle feeder OF today 4
where to get hold OF feeders.
" A number OF people who used L
Ie feed cattle till "a or 80 months o
h age in the corn belt are attempting I
81 raise their own calves and marke
x them around ~ months Of age or b'
ig tween the ages OF 12 and is months
e and weighing from 500 to loo
n pounds. This IS. what is known a
al the baby beef proposition, and II
"a 4 question that is exciting more II
serest every year among cattle fee,
ST. srs and producers.
or Baby beef has not been popular wit
er steer feeders because under cond
m .oins formerly existing the man c
20 he range could produce them mol
mt ,heaply than the man in the corn be
er ,ould buy them. The extra land nece
Sary for maintaining breeding Gov
en- .ould be used for corn; the feediI
ry period OF the baby beef animal last,
1n- rom to or IL months, while tn
as II the "a and 30-months-old steer on
Is. asted from 30 10 $50 days. Then. to
ed greater uniformity and more indie
re- ions OF better breeding are necessa
Ills n the baby beef proposition in feedil
,us )ut older cattle. Greater skill In fee
be ng and caring for the young animI
in S also necessary than in the case
cry he older ones whose appetites do Z
the aavs to be catered to. The killer al
Disseminated against the younger a
nal because the carcass OF the old
animal usually carried a little firm
on Hesh than the young animal, and tht
.ad S less water in the carcass. so Il
not hey kill out larger per cent. OF 60
his neat The feeder himself found Il
nan unless he exercised great yigilan
had he young animals shrunk more IN
gEs hg shlpped 10 market anu nnaiS
kes consumer fasored the meat from
5sr 3der animal.
,e5 II the cattle feeder aims to prodI
bis own feeders, he cannot afford