Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-18


cottonseed meal for feeding calves,
while for older cattle most results
show as good II not better results by
the use Of cottonseed meal A ration for
calves composed Of corn, old process
linseed meal, clover or alfalfa hay and
any for making rapid as we'll as econ
omical gains on calves. At the Illinois
station last year the addition of oats to
the ration OF corn and alfalfa seemed
to increase the cost Of gains There is
no doubt but what oats might play N
very important part in the proper
growth and development Of young cat N
tie for breeding purposes.
The Care Of tho Breeding Hard.
If baby beeves" are to be put onto
the market at the earliest possible date
they must have had their mothers
milk up to weaving time In order that
this may be properly accomplished the
mothers must have been properly fed
and cared for. This Is big item in ac-
tual cost Of production Of the calf up to
market time. Some men have figures
that the cow can be maintained for the
year on something like $40. II she has
been maintained for this amount we
will all agree that she has been very
economically kept. I would rather place
the cost Of keep at $40 per year or
slightly above this to include all items
In connection with the cost Of her
keep. BY the use Of corn slage and
some roughage throughout the winter
season the cost Of maintenance Of tho
COW may be considerably reduced be-
low the cost Of keeping her under or
binary conditions. BY this mean her
maintenance on high priced hay and
other feed. At the college farm last year
the cows were maintained throughout
the winter time without grain on corn
siiage with very small amount OF
other roughage. Some Of these cows
were sucking their own calves and
some Of them were dry. However, the
COWS that brought calves in the spring
mad strong ones, as the crop Of last |,
spring shows AS a matter OF fact, all
or the cows went through the winter
In very good condition at cost very
much less than had sllage not been
av val ,h the same is, being done
again this winter. No producer Of baby
beef can do it entirely successful with
out the use Of silo or two.
Milk and Beef Combined.
large number Of men are selling
cream from the cows and raising the
calves on skim milk. Data is to be
found which shows this to be a profit
able operation. probably carried on at
somewhat greater expense than the
other method, but surely very profitable
II carefully managed. Men who have
nerds of cows that have been bred up
so that they are giving good quantities
or milk can sell from those cows enough
cream and at the same time raise large.
strong. vigorous calves and make the
operation very profitable. The only
drawback to this Is that the calves can
hardly be marketed at quite so early
an age as the ones that are permitted
TO nurse their own mothers Proper
substitutions of grain must be made for
the calf receiving only skim milk. He
to, H., Il
but he can hardly be expected to fattcn
SO rapidly. At the outset all calves.
whether they be permitted to nurse
their own mothers or whether they are
TO be grown on skim milk, must learn
TO eat grain at as early a date as pos
slnle. A setback during the early per-
iod of their growth means delay in
becoming ready for the market and
hence less profit
Silage and Alfalfa Are Of Importance.
In the corn belt silage and alfalfa
hay are the salvation OF the beef cattle
business. Up to this point have not
mentioned anything concerning the
feeding Of steers purchased from near
by markets or from the range. Cattle
OF this sort will no doubt be fed for
many years to come. With this class
or cattle, silage even plays more i'm
portant part than in the feeding of
Younger cattle. We have found in feed
''iS oPSAht'oiiS, on snort
teas. say Of 80 days. that larger. room
Ter two-year-old cattle will consume an
immense amount Of slagc and smaller
amounts OF grain and make gains cy-
tremcly economical. However WREN
feeding for longer period it has been
found that the amount Of silage n,,,4t
be decreased and the grain jncrrasaI
in order that the cattle will become
finished within reasonable ,irnt.
Stage seems to form too inucl, bulk
when fed in extremely large quantities
during the latter part Of the operation.
or course alfalfa hay makes very
valuable adjunct to silage for two-vear-
orc ca,t'e; it has been found that i.
must he fed somewhat sparingly ia
calves at least until they have rcoa
thoroughly accustomed to II VI m.
neen proven time time and again. that
for the most satisfactory results in
feedins older cattle that some supple
mental feed must be used probably RE
most important supplemental feeds are
some from Of cottonseed meal or cd
tonseed cake and linseed meal 'r,,,
amounts to be fed will depend upon the
time OF the feeding operation and al@.,l
the age Of the cattle. usually. however
from 2h to lbs per day per each 1or'
lbs OF live weight has been found TO he
the most satisfactory
he Duty OF Our Iowa Farmers.
1t is the farmers duty to feed the
people of the nation. This certainly
must include meat supplies one of tho
most important of which Is beef re
must raise more cattle. Present indi-
cations are that the prices OF beef cat
tie will be sufficiently high to malst,
cattle raising profitable. Authorities
tell us that strict grain farming rob.
the soil of its fertility. If beef produce
ton has any one thing to recommends
IT. 1t is it's ability to conserve the soiI
fertility Of the farm There is no more
important problem for the farmer than
the maintenance and building ,lp OF the
soil fertility Some Of the factors
which are necessary to insure success
in the beef producing business are.
First, the building of more silos and the
utilizing of all Of the roughage Of tha
farm; second, more and better bl,,s
grass pastures. Many farmers UNDER
estimate the value OF the pasture land.
In some OF the parts Of the old country
where live stock farming is the prin.
cipal occupation. the pasture lands are
valued more highly. Third, growing OF
more clover and alfalfa: fourth, keen
ing the hefers and putting them into