The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-06-09
Jnnre and farm.
The Steer For Beef.

iowa STATE heglsLef.l
The cattle breeder is or should be looking
for no. only the steer which will make the
most beef in the shortest time, but the beef
which will return the greatest profit. The
world is seeking good beef. They have worn
their teeth and wearied their jaws long
enough il mastiCa.ing the tough and taste.
less tissues of a muscular system And
there has been in the last year more thor
ough investigation OF this question, than at
any former period of our history. Disap-
pointments were encountered In some cal
culations, which az first were not well IN
derstood. Those raising stock in Texas,
Oregon, or on our Western plains, supposed
il they graded up their stock with Short
Horns, Devons or Herefords, they could
produce as sweet, tender and delicious beef
as We could in Iowa, Illinois, or ONO. And
why not? Why is not work-ox, when
thoroughly fatten - as finely narbled tender
and juicy beef, as the steer which has been
permitted to leisurely crop the tender grass
in the rich pastures, and drink his water
from the spring brook which constantly
flows at bis feet? the labor and constant ex
ercise of the OK enlarges the muscles, and
prevents the adipose matter or fat from &C
cumulatiDg in the CELLULAR tissues The beef
OF the work OK is considered OF an inferior
quality for the reason that it ie made
up principally of muscular development,
and is of little use on the table, as in
cooking 1t will cook dry and curl up; and
will produce an abundance Of whit leather.
The steers raised on the plains or in
Texas or Oregon, before they reach the Chi
cago or Eastern market are vertable work
oxen Though they may not bear the yoke,
yet from their calfhood they have been
used TO daily long marches forfood and water.
The dry and scanty pastures are frequently
many miles from water, and the stock FIRE
quently go for days without drink, having
cd ~
or even the sides of the mountains for pas
ture, where there is no water. All this is
great against the character of the beef, and
il is useless to expect the high grade steers
of the plains, even if they bad the same
quality of sweet grasses. to be first-class bte..
And the Oregon steer when he arrives at the
Missouri River, has performed drudgery
and servitude that has made his lash hard
snd ieathery there being no more
marbling in his flesh than In that of the
work horse, the grey hound or the antelope.
There are now, IL is stated, - 500 head OF
Oregon steers slowly vending their way over
mountain and deserts. This fail they ex-
pect to reach the Yellows one Valley, where
they will winter. Next spring they will be
driven to some point west of Cheyenne TO
the Union Pacific Railroad and shipped to
our grain field to be fat ened 10 for market.
And some have vainly imagined that these
can with care be made d-st-class beef. At
of them, supposing il they were high
grades, and were round and plump in
form, they were an article equal to the best.
But experience has proven that they were OF
the same class of beef as work oxen. The
same is the case with Texas cattle, after
their long drive and the other cattle on our
plains where pasture aud water require much
daily labor of the stock to partake of both.
They are all work oxen. But recently has
this been SO clearly demonstrated. For
merly they raised only the worst class of
scrubs. The past few years large Numbers
of the better class of bulls have been used,
and they expected their grade steers to com.
pare favorably with our choicest ones.
Besides, water Is one of the Important ele
ments IN not only the rapid development OF
beef, but in producing the choice qualities.
Water must be pure, cool and plentiful, and
on easy access
We do not wish to be understood as taking
the position that there is no difference in the
quality naturally between the we'll bred
animal and the Texan or the Iowa scrub. Far
from it, But our position is that steer
which has to labor, 10 travel, to be deprived
of water for long seasons, etc, is not aud can
not be equal in the choice quality OF his beef
to the steer which has had plentitully the
choicest food, and reposed QuIeily by the
side of the running brooks.
Farm Horses Afflicted With Collie.
veterinary Editor in North Bristish Agricul-
turist.
Nv horses are very much troubled of late
with COLES. Please say in your next paper
the way 10 treat them, as | ana twelve miles
from the nearest V. S. | man, how to treat
them in food and medicine-H G. Know
ing no particulars of the stamp OF your
horses or their management. it ls difficult TO
hit upon the cause OF the collie seizures, or
to advise as to their prevention or treatment.
Evidently, however, there must be some
serious laundering in the treatment Of your
animals, pr baby as to their feeding, to &C
count for their being so very much troubled.
As is too common this season throughout
many parts of the country, the fodder may
be badly got; il may be damp, moldy or
heated. Nothing is more likely to cause
disordered bowels. So long as such faulty
food is used, the mischievous results will
probably continue. A prevailing Scotch
occasionally still adopted in some districts.
The horses brought in hungry from their
afternoon work have thrown into their
manger q great mess of cooked food. which
they are apt to devour much too rapidly;
whilst, 70 make matters worse. perhaps have
Immediately after taken a copioUs draught
of water. The unnatural bulk OF 1ndi-
,gested food is hastily carried into the lower
bowels, and eEcites there irritation aDS evo-
LUTON of gas.
IL is unWise to give tired, hungry horse
roughly cooked food or corn, or anything
that he can bolt. After few swallows Of
water, morsel of hay or other fodder
should first be supplied; or, IL corn is given,
1t should be along with chat, which secures
its somewhat slower mastication. MUch
boiled food is unsuitable and unsafe for
hard-worked horses; good bran mash
once or twice q week suficts. even when the
food is dry. The watering is prolific source
ofcoIic. Water feul from sewage often pro.
duces colo and dierrhea- Prolonged ebsti-
nenoe from water is TO be avoided, for il
causes trying thirst, and when opportunity
occgss the hgried swallowing of
deRgerously large draugnts. In some
large concerns during the winter spent
steam is sometimes run into the water
troughs, keeping theireontents at about 40,
with the effect OF greatly lessening the preva-
lence CT collie. Ii attention is paid intelli-
gently to the diet aDd management OF
horses. and If long fssts and gorgiDg are
avoided, collie will be extremely rare No
medicines can be wisely administered for its
prevention. Attacks. when they do occur,
are CONT sted By a Laxative intended to
sveep avav the cause of irritation con-