The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-08-23
THE CATTLE BUSINESS.

1nO CtBLllC IEnuO Va 4A0Ao0o S~A
sists of two diverse branches-"na-
tive" and 'sTexan." The latter
means simply the purchasing in the
fall of Texas herds, keeping them
through the winter, and hurrying
them into market as soon as in tit
condition the following season be-
fore the fresh herds from Texas can
arrive. This branch of the cattle
trade we believe to be inimical to
tho general interests of our State,
and to say the least, uncertain of
profit to the parties who expert
ment with it. 1t is almost entirely
speculative, and a hard winter a.
ways causes great mortality among
such cattle. The business proper
and profitable, and which our State
legislature should seduously On
courage, is tho breeding of do
nestle stock. We have taken the
trouble to calculate the results
which may be and generally are OBJ
tanned here from an Investment suf-
iicient to purchase 100 stock cows,
and bull, the rancho, cost of keep
ing, etc., for six years. We are
writing for the information of cast
crn readers, who may wish to see
what they can do in Kansas, and we
therefore will be moro explicit than
is necessary for our home readers.
The first investment will be about
as follows:
100 warnings, fine stock, $500
One bnu. 100
40 acre rancho, with water
and timber, 400
Buildings, corral, etc, 500
$500
OF course, il instead of rancho,
q party purchases an improved 50
acre farm, for say $500, stocks up
with full complement of agricul-
tural implements, wagons, horses,
etc, for farming, he adopts the best
plan, and can cultivate such farm,
and manage his cattle at same time
to the very best advantage. But
such a farm and farm stock is also
an investment by itself, and should
not be considered part of the cat
tie investment. $500 for the cattle
and what pertains to them will Sc
cure a 1irst-class herd of 100, aud a
good place for their accommodation.
The cost of keeping the cattle is the
next consideration. Hay is gener-
ally furnished in large quantities
for 50 per ton, and one ton will, on
an average, bring a head through
the winter. If % bushels of corn
are also fed per head it would be
very we'll invested, but the cattle
will thrive on grass and hay only.
The most expensive way to keep
cattle is to hire them herded in the
grass season, and wintered. Ono
man at $45 per month will furnish
his own horse and take care of from
100 to 300 or 400 cattle from May to
November. Another man will
charge $3.50 per head for taking
care of and feeding from November
until May. Yves suppose the breeder
to DO a farmer who does his work
here as he did at the east, only that
he at the same time invests in cattle.
He cuts his own hay, cultivates an
80 acre farm, looks after his cattle,
and, as he can easily do here, COM
bincs both farming and cattle rails
ing until his cattle have, in five or
six years, increased in numbers so
that they will of themselves yield
a handsome income and \ yearly in
crease of capital. Let him note,
also, that he must not rely on selling
any cattle until the third year has
arrived. The miscalculations on
this point-which no man ought to
lose sight of. have troubled amateur
cattle raisers more than anything
else. Keep your cattle and your
self until the third year and then
you can begin to sell and sell pro-
fitably.
The following table shows the
yearly increase for six years of 100
head-allOwing an annual loss or
failure OF 20 calves out of each 100,
and n yearly sale after the third
year is reached, of one-half the two
year olds. The sum of dollars stat
cd in column represents so many
head sold that season at $25 per
hao1.