The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1911-08-19


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 1t
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 of 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 1,500 to 1850 pounds.
The farmer preferred to feed these
animals because there was generally
q 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 been 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 is
where to get hold of feeders.
A number Of people who used to
feed cattle till "a or 80 months of
age In the corn belt are attempting to
raise their own calves and market
them around IL months Of age or be-
tween the ages of IL and IS months.
and weighing from 500 to 1000
pounds. This is what is known as
the baby beer proposition, and it is
question that is exciting more in
terest every year among cattle feed
ers and producers.
Baby beef has not been popular with
steer feeders because under condi.
toms formerly existing the man on
the range could produce them more
cheaply than the man In the corn belt
could buy them. The extra land neces-
sary for maintaining breeding cows
could be used for corn; the feeding
period of the baby beef animal lasted
from 6 to 9 or IL months, while that
of the "a and 30-months-old steer only
lasted from 80 to $50 days. Then, too.
greater uniformity and more indica-
tons Of better breeding are necessary
In the baby beef proposition In feeding
out older cattle Greater skill in feed.
Ing and caring for the young animals
Is also necessary than in the case of
the older ones whose appetites do not
have to be catered to. The killer also
Disseminated against the younger ami
NAL because the carcass of the older
animal usually carried little firmer
flesh than the young animal, and there
is less water in the carcass, SO that
they kill out larger per cent. of good
meat The feeder himself found that
unless he exercised great vigilance.
the young animals shrunk more In be-
ing shipped to market and finally the
consumer favored the meat from the
older animal
II the cattle feeder aims to produce
his own feeders, he cannot afford to