The spectator., 1922-02-03

Prepared by the United states Department of Asriculture)
 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 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 valn- able suggestions to the corn belt feed CTS on the economical production of beef
 The investigations on which the bull letin Is based were conducted by the department on DOG 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 in considerable detail
 The general tendency in the corn belt to blow mp permanent pastures and produce more cultivated crops caused decline in beef raising. but the keeping of cows to raise calves i has continued to be profitable on land too rough. too wet or too in fertile for cultivation. The reduction l of pasture has been compensated for to some extent by the greater use of 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 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 q COW was 60 per cent of the entire cost ef maln- tenancc for year, while 3i per cent represented interest, labor, equipment and incidentalS. The total number of cows on the 90G farms was 23.25S, an average of o5 tu the farm. The per 1 cent ef calves raised was practically l Sa. It was found that costs could be ! reduced through three factorS-in- 1 creasing the credits from the cows. improving the herd and economy in l feeding.
 l Early Fall Buying of Feeders Best.
 When feeders are not raised on the l farm buying and selling ability plays an important part. In some seasons certain weights and classes of cattle may be purchased more economically 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 It. 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 ami maj 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-year-olds in to ! IlOtAIN, NtaAilii-H III N'c"e 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- 1 uuire from nine to eleven pounds or 1 digestihle nutrients to make pound of gain, whereas yearlings use six to | Is unH PaINAS only TOnf 1 to six pounds.
 Feeding cattle for the market IS simply one method of marketing the crops. On 2s7 farms in the corn belt l an average of B per cent of the l9l9 | crops was fed to cattle. Fully 20 per cent of the fattened cattle in this area are dry-lot fed and are marketed before July l. The various methods of feeding and the feeds used are fully discussed in the bulletin.
 Feed Alfalfa and Glover Hay. Alfalfa and clover hay are by far the most popular dry roughages. as they take the place of commercial protein concentrates to large extent. Grass hays, with the exception of timothy l mixed with clover, are very little 1 used. The use of stovers and straws has n direct bearing on the economy of gains. and all such feeds should be I used on the farm
 The most popular protein concen- l trates in the corn belt are cottonseed meal and cake and linseed meal. Corn. | oats and barley are the carbohydrate concentrates most used. MolasSes feed and other miscellaneous con centrates are in much demand in some sections Supplying protein is of more | concern to the cattle feeder than sup | -,., .ao o.har rnnStituaufS of the