The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1912-11-07

(By L. L. SHOEMAKER, in the Country
Gentleman.)
Judicious management, knowledge
of cattle and values, and a natural l1k-
ing for the work have resulted in the
production of baby beef on a south
western Iowa farm at profit OF $2O
a head for several successive years.
We used grade beef-bred cows and
good pure-bred Angus bulls as the
foundation stock for our operations.
We reduced the cost of keeping the
cows to a minimum in order to in
crease the profits on the finished calf.
The COWS were fed on cheap, home
grown roughages, supplemented in
part by grain ration consisting large
ly of corn and cottonseed meal fed in
moderate quantities during the last
few weeks prior to calving and con-
tinued until the grass became well
grown in the spring. Care against
feeding cottonseed meal in heavy
quantities prior to calving lessened the
danger of abnormal calf birth. Feed
ing the COWS largely on such roughage
as oat straw, corn fodder and clover
hay during the winter months, and let
ting them remain on grass as much as
possible during the year, reduced the
cost of keeping them to $2S year.
We managed to have most Of the
calves come in the spring, from March
LIST to March 18th, and, under our sys-
tenn Of managing the COWS, they came
h0
in good physical tone prior to calving
by feeding ration strong in ash and
protein content so as to stimulate the
milk flow gave the calf strong start
In life. and also kept the cow in such
condition as to tide her over the in
! clement spring weather, which is the
hardest drain upon her. Through
careful management of the bull we
succeeded in having the calves come
within short period of each other.
He was never allowed to run with the
cows during the day A good blue
grass pasture was provided for him,
and a grain ration consisting of oats,
bran and cottonseed meal was given
during the heavy breeding season.
The calves were allowed to run on
the pasture with their mothers after
the grass had become well started In
the spring and until the flies had be-
come bad and the grass no longer fur
nished an abundance OF green feed.
The bull calves we're then castrated,
and the entire lot were put in a we'll
grown bluegrass pasture. This was
provided with ample shade and avail
able fresh water, but they were allow
ed to nurse mornings and evenings.
A grain ration consisting of oats, bran
and q small amount of shelled corn
was distributed in troughs convenient
| ly placed in the pasture. AS the
calves became older the grain ration
was gradually increased. Little trou-
BILE was experienced in getting them
to eat again. and they were soon eat
ing about three-fourths Of pound OF
mixed grain per hundred pounds OF
live weight. To this ration was added
a small amount of cottonseed meal
later in the fall. We found that such
a ration gave the most desirable gains.
When the second crop of clover in
the hayfields arrived in the fall the
calves were changed to it from the
bluegrass pasture. After they had be-
come accustomed to the new feed the
weaving was started, the cow being
returned occasionally so that she
would gradually dry up in good con
dition. The calves were allowed to
Craze upon the clover until late fall
In early winter they were given win
ter quarters. A well-drained lot, slop'
ing to the east and south and pro
vided with an open shed and good wa
ter, furnished excellent conditions for
winter feeding. The shed floor was
kept well drained and bedded down
once a week; the water was warmed
during freezing weather, a very i'm
portant matter, and roughages were
supplied in generous amounts.
By the first of January our calves
weighed from $50 to 700 pounds and
we're in thrifty, growthy condition
though not fat They had retained
however, the natural calf fat which Is
so necessary in making the best quail
ity of baby beef at profit. The grain
ration was increased and cottonseec
meal was substituted for the oats
making a grain ration of two-thirds