The Newark journal., 1922-02-02

(Prspared by the United States Department
 Of Agrtculture-)
 Although corn belt cattle feeders have lost money the last two years yet on the average for five years or more the industry has been profitable on many farms and is a line of pro- duction which will continue to be an important branch of American agri- culture
 The bureau of animal industry United States Department of Agricul- ture, has recently issued Farmers Bulletin No. f21s, Beef Production in the Corn Belt" which contains valu- able suggestions to the corn belt feed CTS on the economical production of beef.
 The investigations on which the bull ietin Is based were conducted by the department on 906 farms of the corn belt and every phase Of the problem, from raising calves or buying feeders 10 the marketing of the finished steer, Is treated Tn considerable detail.
 The general tendency in the corn belt to blow ID permanent pastures and produce more cultivated crops caused a decline in beef raising. but the keeping of cows to raise calves has continued to be profitable on land too rough. too wet. or too in- fertile for cultivation. The reduction of pasture has been compensated for to some extent hy the greater use of ,JF CIl La I1 ever. since 1905 there has been some increase in feeder production in the corn belt due to the breaking up of western ranges for dry farming and irrigation.
 The investigation. which was car ried on for three years, showed that the feed cost of keeping COW was 60 per cent of the entire cost of main tenance for a year while 31 per cent represented interest labor. equipment and incidentals. The total number of cows on the 906 farms was 23 .25S, an average of 9 to the farm. The per cent of calves raised was practically 8. It was found that costs could be reduced through three faetors-in- creasing the credits from the cows, improving the herd, and economy in feeding.
 Early Fall Buying of Feeders Best.
 When feeders are not raised on the farm buying and selling ability plays an important part. In some seasons certain weights and classes of cattle ,,ay ha rurehacad moro acnnomicallv than others. Ordinarily early fall buy ing is preferable. as competition be- tween packers and feeders usually in- creases as winter approaches.
 The higher the quality of the feeder steer the better use he will make of his feed. though he usually eats more of if. But this consideration should not cause the buyer to lose sight of the price. Fleshy feeders can often be used to advantage on short feeds, and when there are very good prospects for higher prices. The older the anil nal the quicker it will fatten, as 1t will use less feed for growth and more for fat production.
 Mature feeders fatten in three to four months. two-ycar-olds in to months. yearlings in eight to ten months, and calves in ten to twelve months. Older cattle use roughages more advantageously. but in general young animals make more economical use Of all feeds Mature cattle re- quire from nine to eleven pounds of dlgestible nutrients to make pound Of gain, whereas yearlings use six to eight pounds, and calves only four to six pounds.
 Feeding cattle for the market is simply one method of marketing the crops. On 2S7 farms in the corn belt an average Of 8 per cent Of the 1919 crops was fed to cattle. Fully 90 per cent of the fattened cattle in this area are dry-lot fed and are marketed before July | The various methods of feeding and the feeds used are fully discussed in the bulletin.
 Feed Alfalfa and Clever Hay.
 Alfalfa and clover hay are by far the most popular dry rou@hages, as they take the place of commercial protein concentrates to q large extent. Grass hays. with the exception of timothy mixed with clover. are very little uSed. The use of stoyers and straws has a direct bearing on the economy of gains. and all such feeds should be used on the farm.
 The most popular protein concen- tratcs in the corn belt are eottonSeed meal and cake and linseed meal Corn, oats. and barley are the earbehydrate concentrates most used MolasSeS feed and other miscellaneous con cantrates are in much demand in some sections Supplying protein is of more concern to the cattle feeder than sup olvIns the other constituents of the