The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1871-05-11
Stock Raising In Kansas.

A correspondent Of the ST. Louis Dem
ocrat, writing from Ellsworth, says:
have no doubt that all this part Of
Kansas will in q few years be occupied
BY stock growers, because it is one OF the
easiest and quickest methods Of earning
acompetence. All this region 10 fine for
STOCK, and at present there are several
thousand cattle here from Texas to be
shipped East from the new stock yards,
lust completed. One hundred cattle can
be herded in a radius of twenty miles.
Cattle sell now ut about two and half
cents a pound, live weight, the average
being about eight hundred pounds weight
Of the ordinary weight, Of the ordinary
Texas cattle. We saw several smaller
herds on our trip, and all looked tine.
have taken the trouble to make some
estimates in regard to raising cattle on
the prairies here, and believe am rather
under than over the medium that may be
expected with careful management. Cat
tic often live all winter without being
fed, and hay, when it is needed, costs
not over s. 80 a ton, if cut in quantities.
Texas cattle can be bought at the fol-
lowing prices. Yearlings IS, each; two
year-olds, sc, and cows 81, or whole
herd at about 81. Last winter the cattle
were fed only three days during the
whole season. They run along the ra'
vines, where the grass is green all win
ter, and they thus being sheltered, KEEP,
in excellent condition. The market Is
raod either to ship East via Railroad, OF
send West 10 the mountains. But sec
the profits.
Let man buy heard of 900 head
at an average price Of 81, costing 81 600
cost of he-iing one wear, three men, 81 >
900, cost Of 200 tons of hay at $3.50 pei
ton $500, interest on money, say $40, TO-
tai cost after one year, $1,000. The IN
crease in numbers will be at least thirty
three per cent. making total head ,.S';5'3a
at the end of the year, worth, rs they
will be on an average here, about Sl4
each, or sl6,6 62, leaving clear profit OF
1862 in only one year.
Take another estimate for cows bought
at cost, say sl2 each, 900 head,
$4,000 cost of hay and herdlng one
wear, s3,106; total expense, slo, 100. In.
crease. allowing ten per cent. loss, VIII
I've SUu hc:tu, OF III Ill, al thS VIZ" VI wy
wear, 1900 head, worth sl2 each, max
ing s22.sO0, leaving profit of 200.
Or take the estimate for five years
and increase of one hundred cows is IOC
or for 1000 cows ut ST., $4,000. cost OF
hay and herding five years $4,000, in.
terest and other expenses, 81, OOO-tota
cost at the end of five years $50. 900. Fol-
this there would be in return $3.50 head
Of cattle, averaging in weight 500 pounds
each. and worth, at least, two and a hall
cents pound or $50 each-value Of the
herd Of $3.50 cows, sl6l 900, leaving q
profit Of 100000, which is certainly q
good investment of money.
Ihave given these estimates to show
that it is truth that cattle raising nearly
doubles in profit each years, and as | shal!
visit the stock region of Colorado and
New Mexico, l believe the same rule
will hold good there. In Ellsworth are
stock yards just completed by VIM. Sin:
gerson L. Co, capable of shipping 500
head per day. While we were there
nine carloads were being shipped to St.
Louis. About 5000 head have been re.
ceived this season, and from forty to fiji:
ty thousand are expected during the
season.