Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1911-08-03

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
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 charge 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
prohl just that much. Then he found
that the higherpriced 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. Throughout the
corn belt the popular steer has ranged
Tor "a to 30 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
good demand for them in the mar
ket. When purchased from western
cattle raisers they were 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
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
a consequent decrease in the number
Of breeding animals on the range One
Of the greatest problems that con
fronts the cattle feeder OF today il
where to get hold of feeders.
A number OF people who used e
feed cattle till "a or 80 months O
age in the corn belt are attempting L
raise their own calves and marke
them around 10 months of age or be
tween the ages OF IL and is months
and weighing from 500 TO 100
pounds. This is what is known a
the baby beer proposition. and it I
; question that is exciting more In
: terest every year among cattle feed
: ers and producers
Baby beef has not been popular wit
J steer feeders because under cond
toms formerly existing the man o
the range could produce them NOR
cheaply than the man in the corn be
could buy them The extra land nece,
sary for maintaining breeding COW
could be used for corn: the feedin
= reriod of the baby beef animal Taste
. from TO Q or IL months, while tn;
Of the "a and S0-months-old steer onl
l lasted from 90 TO $50 days. Then. to-
e greater uniformity and more indie
q tons of better breeding are necessaI
;. In the baby beef proposition in feedir
II out older cattle Greater skill in fee
g ing and caring for the young ANNA
is also necessary than in the case
II the older ones whose apretites do n
q have to be catered to- The killer al,
O Disseminated against the younger al
q NAL because the carcass of the old
r animal usually carried a little firm
flesh than the young animal. and the
l.. L., hA
they kill out a larger per cent. of got
"a meat. The feeder himself found tn
9 unless he exercised great vigilanC
the young animals shrunk more in
= ing shipped to market and finally {
: consumer favored the meat from [
:, older animal
" If the cattle feeder aims to produ
his own feeders. he cannot afford
II,