Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-05-22
For the Standard.
Is it Profitable to Raise Calves ?

produce of the dairy brings a very re-
muneratiye price, and when to enhance
present profits dairy men through our
country are slaughtering the calves by
thousands. But those who consider the
present only, fail to see the magnitude OF
the question. The prosperity of every
nation depends not OILY upon constant
supply of bread, but also of meat; II the
supply fails even for short time, The
consequences are DISASTROUS
In all ages cattle have been the wealth
and companions of large mass Of man
kind, and the fatted calf" their luxury.
The daily supply for the table of Solo
mon was ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen
from the pastures, besides other animals.
The influence OF stock raising is salU
tary good cattle are best bred by kind
ness, and providing for their comfort de
velops not only the reason, but the hui
manity and love of their keeper. We
admit that to raise poor stock is harden
ing and brutalizing: Ones ears must be
deaf to their cries for food his eyes calm
ly look at their attenuated frames; his
hand be ready with the whip to add the
vigor that good food would impart and
his tongue apologies so often that he To-
ses his own proud manliness and self re-
spect.
The man Of wealth who labors to i'm
prove the breed of cattle is much more
a benefactor of his race than one who de-
velops fast horses. 1t is expedient and
necessary to raise stock here in northern
Vermont; without them our farms could
not maintain their fertility; the forests
could not be kept from again covering the
territory that is now cleared, and our own
existence would be in jeopardy.
Most Of the young stock in this vicin
iiy changes owners before it is two years
old. Many dairy men keep their calves
only a few months, feeding them upon
the refuse of the dairy--sour milk and
whey, so they cost comparatively but
trife, and add quite sum to the yearly
income. It is profitable to raise calves
in this way.
Another large class of farmers com
bine more fully dairying with stock raj
sing. Such farmers find it profitable to
keep until about 2 IL years old, when
they can usually be readily sold to be la
ken to market, where they are bought by
farmers in Massachusetts, Rhode Isand
and Connecticut, who find it very profit
able to buy cattle at that age and keep
them one or two years, when they be
come fully grown and are generally turn
ed over to the local butchers. The pro.
ftableness of all this is, farms are bought,
debts are paid, and money put out at in
terest.
l have noticed that those who have
among their herd cattle that are partially
thoroughbred, whether Devons, Here
fords, or Durhams, especially commend
them to no Re, and they are usually
better proportioned, more symctrical than
those of common stock, and command
higher price. Ireasoned that if slight
admixture of blood would improve stock
pure bloods would be still more profit
able. To snbs.antate this reasoning
lately visited the herd Of short horned
Durhams, owned and bred by Hon. Eli
jah Cleveland, Coventry, which numbers
over forty head, 1t was some ten years
ago that he turned his attention TO agri-
culture and decided that the raising of
beef could be the branch most SUCCESS
fully prosecuted, and the fertility Of the
farm kept up. A number Of years he
bred exclusively the Devon cattle and
would have no others upon his farm
they were comparatively small, well
shaped, and easily lattened, and of
beautiful color. He was hnally induced
to buy of a friend yoke Of oxen of the
Durham breed; they proved TO be the
best oxen he ever had, although kept tie
same as others. When be sold them he
disposed of ten oxen for 1887 that yoke
we're much the best. He also saw in
market steers three or four years old
# Durham breed, dress twelve and If ,
cen hundred Of better beef than could ;
De produced from Devons, il being less
ike white oak in toughness he came to D.,
he conclusion that tho hills and valleys
If Vermont could produce as good cattle
Is the plains of kentucky, and expert.
snce confirms the opinion. II may be
proper here TO mention that he has been
elling off the Deyons for beef and at t
'xtra expense been buying and breeding i
lis present herd, yet the proftableness of t
took raising is shown by his book, which Q
bows paid for cattle S3039-cattle sold II
o the amount of S7007. His herd orig.
mated from three heifers from Kentuckv L