PURPOSE: To prevent the generation of surface crack and edge crack in direct feed rolling or direct rolling by rolling a steel ingot or billet under the specific conditions under which the shape ratio thereof attains a specific value while exerting pushing force thereto.

CONSTITUTION: The steel ingot or billet in the direct feed rolling or direct rolling is hot rolled under such conditions under which the shape ratio (m) defined by the equation attains ≤1, i.e., the conditions under which the edge crack hardly arises. The surface crack is also prevented by exerting the pushing force thereto. In the equation, R: the radius of a rolling roll, h1: the material thickness on the inlet side of the roll, h2: the material thickness on the outlet side of the roll. The generation of the edge crack and surface crack is prevented by such rolling control.