Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-05-12

This question might at once be an
swered in the affirmative while this
is fact that needs but little argu-
ment to prove, and could be readily
supplied from actual figures that
would demonstrate to the producer a
large loss. We will now call the
attention to the current reports made
on sales, which every stock raiser
can have access to through the daily
reports of any of our city papers, of
Chicago markets varying in price
from two to four and a-half cents per
pound on gross weight, and this up
on thousands of head amounting to
millions of dollars to the country;
but some one says this is owing to
the condition of stock for the want
of flesh. True, it is one condition,
but we claim that by improved blood
the beet making quality is much en-
HANGED. A condition which may
again be proven by referring to diff
ference in price quotations of COM
mon and grade steers, differing from
one to two cents per pound, same age
and treatment, but while this condi-
ton of things is well understood by
those that handle considerable guam
titles of stock, and the more observ-
ing class, there is still large number
of farmers who have not yet been
aroused to their interests, who are
laboring hard to make farming and
stock growing a paying business, are
loosing much of their hard earnings
through want of keeping on their
farms nothing but grade cattle in
place of the common scrub, while
there are but few localities of farmers
that do not have some of the many
improved breeds of hogs. They are
slow to accept the necessity of the
improved short horn, without any
disparagement to other breeds for
their several uses). We say at the
present, at least, for the west, that
short-horns are the kind to consume
to advantage the cheap corn and
carry 1t to market in less bulk, and
the grade COW will give large flow
of milk for butter making.
We would, therefore, call attention
to improved blood and better keep,
which upon the higher price lands
has become necessity for making
anything like paying business of
beef making; there is not one grade
of steers where there should be
twenty, yes, fifty; consequently a
large opening yet tor the breeding of
thoroughbred stock. There should
be thoroughbred bull on every farm
or, at least q few farmers join togeth-
er, when this is once the case, grow
your own calves, and, if need be,
feed your own corn and there will
soon be a difference in the balance
sheet to the credit side of the column.
Send to some good reliable breeder
or attend one of the many sales soon
to be held and secure you a calf or
two and take good care of them, and
our word for it, you will soon want
more. And for still more pratical
proof Of the value of grade steers
over the natives under the same care
and keeping, we refer you to report
by G. 7. Lane, of Kellogg, Iowa, of
sixty-four head in the National Live
Stock Journal for April, showing a
difference Of s5o.so per head, IN IA
vor of the grade at two years old,
and many other reports that could be
referred to, showing refutation of
the idea that grades must have better
usage, when in fact the opposite is
true, Just as we'll in cattle as in the
case with hogs, which all understand.
TX. Y. H., in farmers .TockJ0u7naI.