The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-01-05

prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of AgTiculture-)
Although there are a number of fac
tors that govern the profitableness Of
the calf-growing enterprise, an inves-
tigation carried on by the United
States department of agriculture in
the corn-belt states during the last
three years show that losses on calves
usually are due to excessive mainte-
nance costs of the breeding COWS.
When a cow is kept only for the pro-
ductiOn of calves, she should be fed q
ration that will enable her to produce
and raise q good strong calf and still
keep in good healthy condition. To
feed in excess of this amount merely
for the sake of having a Incorporating
cow, as is frequently done, is a waste
of feed. This waste increases the
maintenance cost, often to the point Of
wiping out profits, for when the bust
ness is conducted on as close a margin
as at present it is impossible to raise
calves at a profit unless the strictest
economy is practiced in feeding the
COWS.
Sufficient Pasture.
The information at hand shows that
where COWS are kept exclusively for
the production of feeder animals there
must be a sufficient area of pasture,
most economically utilized. to support
the animals for at least six months Of
the year. Not only must they get fully
One-half Of their living from cheap
grazing but they must be so handled
during the remainder of the year that
foe %oV. Of
is made up of those unstable rough
feeds, such as stalks, slower and straw,
which are abundant on corn-belt farms.
The data obtained also show that on
cOrn-beIt farms the size of the herds
usually should be limited to the num-
Der that can be supported on such
cheap feeds. In other words, with the
prices prevailing during recent years,
the breeding herds must be made TO
utilize the farm by-prOducts and con-
vert them into beef and manure, while
the more valuable products are sold or
are fed to fattening animals.
Much Feed Wasted.
Every year there are large Quantf-
| ties of corn StoYer which are not util-
lied to their fullest extent. Every year
also q vast quantity Of straw is wasted
| by letting cattle run to the stack and
trample under foot more straw than
they eat. In some parts of the coun-
! try large quantities of straw are de
stroyed by burning. Much of the straw
so wasted might be used to replace
some of the more valuable feeds that
| beef cows receive. It is true that in
many parts of the country in times
past it has been better farm economy
/ to allow these products to be de-
! stroyed rather than to try to use them
! However, under present conditions
not only is it necessary that cattle
! should be handled in such a manner
as to use as much of these by-products
as possible, but also, if possible, the
farm business should be arranged sc
/ that enough stock is kept to consume
fully these cheap roughages-
Use Cheaper Roughage.
These cheaper rough feeds can be
utilized more fully than is customary
and much less grain and hay need be
fed to breeding herds. This is, dem
onstrated by the results of the investi
CATION mentioned. In this fnvestiga
ton approximately 1000 farms were
visited, and detailed information was
obtained on the cost of maintaining the
breeding herds on these farms as well
as on the cost of producing the feeder
cattle. In addition to the cost-account
ing figures, a study also was made OF
the methods used in caring for the cat
tie. This study is based on records
from 478 of these farms, upon which
the breeding herds were kept solely fol
the production of calves to be fed out
as baby beef, two-year-olds, or three
year-olds. On these farms the average
cost of a calf at weaving time, figuring
all expenses and deducting all credits
was $37. There was, however, q very
wide range in the cost Of these calves
depending somewhat on the locality IL
which the calves were raised and Very
largely on the methods followed II
| producing them. On some farms thi:
cost was as low as $25 per calf, while
on others it exceeded $50.
On the farms visited there was s
very wide range both in the quantity
and the kind OF rations fed Some
farmers were feeding a ration that wa:
hardly adequate, while others wer'
| giving their cows more feed than the!
could possibly eat Some were carry
ing their cows through the winter il
fairly good condition at a very Low
cost, while others were using larg'
! quantities OF expensive hay and grain
with resultant heavy winter feed bill
Many of the latter could have greatl-
reduced the cost Of their ratiOns By ;
judicious substitution of cheaper feed
for some of the more expensive ones.
Grantees Ration
The use Of a grainless ration is, o
course, not always possible or praC
ticable. If this type OF ration is TO b
economical, there must be an abun
dance OF cheap hay to combine wit
the rough feeds; or, if the bulk Of tn