"A return to cattle breeding in Illinois will be coincident with a more general adoption of supplement for pasture. The use of smaller proportions of permanent pasture, more extensive use of rotated or leguminous pastures, the passing of the aged steers in our feed lots, and the inauguration of what may be called intensive systems of baby beef production."[7] NUMBER OF BEEF CATTLE IN ILLINOIS BY YEARS FROM 1856 TO 1914. Year Number of Beef Cattle in Illinois 1856 1 169 855 1857 1 351 209 1858 1 422 249 1859 1 336 565 1860 1 425 978 1861 1 428 362 1862 1 603 946 1863 1 684 892 1864 1 370 783 1865 1 568 280 1866 1 435 769 1867 1 486 381 1868 1 520 963 1869 1 584 445 1870 1 578 015 1871 1 611 349 1872 1 684 029 1873 2 015 819 1874 2 042 327 1875 1 985 155 1876 1 857 301 1877 1 750 931 1878 1 775 401 1879 1 862 265 1880 1 998 788 1881 2 045 366 1882 2 012 902 1883 1 959 867 1884 1 997 927 1885 2 166 059 1886 2 337 074 1887 2 480 401 1888 2 465 288 1889 2 398 191 1890 2 095 595 1891 1 853 318 1892 1 615 405 1893 1 812 924 1894 1 798 417 1895 1 782 158 1896 1 626 171 1897 1 753 371 1898 1 802 061 1899 1 886 933 1900 2 009 598 1901 2 372 710 1902 2 409 772 1903 2 325 980 1904 2 535 954 1905 2 301 519 1906 2 203 108 1907 2 065 816 1908 1 892 118 1909 1 691 686 1910 1 512 055 1911 1 473 741 1912 1 258 293 1913 1 170 628 "In reviewing the cattle breeding and the cattle feeding situation in Illinois in 1894, Mr. J. G. Imboden stated that the outlook was not very encouraging. The question was, "Are the men who are feeding the grain and fodder crop of the farm any worse off than those grain farmers who are selling their grain on the market, or even the butcher, the grocer, the boot and shoe dealer, or the drygoods merchant?" They undoubtedly were not at that time. Competition was very close, profits small, and unless a business man was satisfied with a small profit, his competitor did the business. Such were the conditions that faced the cattle breeders and feeders at that time. "From 5 % to 10 % of the feeding value of the crops on Illinois farms were left in the field; straw-stacks stood in the field where the thresher left them; stover stood on the field after the corn was husked, while on these same farms were stock that were shrinking from exposure and lack of feed."