The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1922-02-03
Summer Fattenina in Corn Belt on

prepared by the United States Department
of Agricultural
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. 1918, "Beef Production in
the Corn Belt" which contains valu-
able suggestions to the corn belt feed
ers on the economical production of
| beef
The investigations on which the bull
| letin 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
to the marketing of the finished steer,
Is treated in considerable detail.
The general tendency in the corn
belt to pillow up 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 Iol
to some extent by the greater use o.
clover, alfalfa, and corn silage How
, ever. since 1905 there has been some
/ increase in feeder production in the
corn belt due to the breaking up o.
western ranges for dry farming ant
, irrigation.
: The investigation. which was car
= ried on for three years, showed tina
r the feed cost of keeping a cow wa
E SO per cent OF the entire cost or main
!. tenance for q year, while 81 per cen
y represented interest, labor, equipmen
o and incidentals. The total number 0
r cows on the 9O6 farms was 23,2oo,% a
r average of Is to the farm. The pc
II rent of calves raised was practlcaii
:, g., It was found that costs couio o
e reduced through three factors-il
ereasing the credits from the cow
. I,mnroying the herd, and economy i
n feeding.
. Ear,v Fall Buying Of Feeders Best
a. When feeders are not raised ON II
IS farm buying and selling ability play
q, an important part. In some seasoi
4 cartain weights and classes OF cat
,e may be purchased more economical
j. than others. Ordinarily early fall pu
ing is preferable, as eompetition
N tween packers and feeders usually
10 creases as winter approaches.
~ The higher the quality OF the 1eeu
~ s+aor the better use he will make OF u
at food though he usually eats more
- a. Rut this consideration should d
M cause the buyer to lose sight OF q
e. nrice. Fleshy feeders can oI.eh
Of used to advantage on short teeos' a
-. rben there are very good pfospee
%. For higher prices. The older the al
~. ma, the quicker it will fatten, as
will use less feed for grown !"
more for fat production.
Mature feeders fatten in three
~ four months, tWo-yeoA /. =
months. yearlings in eight 10 ,
ter months, and calves in ten TO lm :
nonths Older cattle use rougnas
more advantageously, but III een.,
uoune animals make more economi'
on rsa Of all feeds. Mature cattle
me ouire from nine to eleven pounus
va digestible nutrients to make pou
lis. Of gain. whereas yearilngs use se =,
WIS eight pounds, and calves onis =
of to six pounds. -. or,at
up- = Feeding cattle for the market a'
The simnlv one method of marketing !,
ted crops. On 2s7 farms IN the e .,a :,
ate an average of So per cent Q, Tue co : ,
an arons was fed to cattle. Fully ~
i'd cont Of the fattened cattle III
Va srea are dry-Iot fed and are mar IKE
III. before July /. The various ne' =.
old ~ feeding and the feeds used are =
vav discussed in the bulletin.
at. oi' Feed Alfalfa and Glover Ray
mt Alfalfa and clover hay are by Tar
ed, most popular dry rougnage ages, a. nrot
a am