The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-03-10
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A correspondent of tfe Chicago
Times, who Is evidently well posted in
regard to stock breeding On cur plains,
writes as follows concerning stock in
terestsi in the far west, and the reported
losses of Cattle during the past winter:
"Tbe great losses reported are over
drawn, a a rule, and in almost every
instance are the result Of gross violation
OF principles, which, when regarded,
enable cattle to subsist with mere NOM
inal losses. Nature adapts herself to
her ends, and an animal grown upon q
northern range is provided with a very
thick hide and a coat of hair equal to a
buffalo, and is also gifted with an in
stinct which enables it to successfully
combat conditions which interfere with
its safety. As long as dealers win in
sist upon stocking cold climate regions
with the thin7skinned, l~ight-haired.
summer-grown cattle of southern Tex
as, they may expect to lose a heavy per
centage of such cattle. The fact that
even these get through with a compare
lively small loss, or with the advantage
of n seasons naturalization art
then handled successfully. is another
evidence of the practicability o: tn,
enterprise of raising cattle.
SIN addition to climatic influence
another very important principle ii
violated by this course: When left t.
itself in summer upon its native range
the animal lays on a bountiful supply Of
fat as a safeguard against the season
when conditions are less favorable Il
its existence, but when trailed in large
bands for hundreds of miles together
usually the greater part of the summer
it arrives upon the new range in thir
condition, and easily succum5s to thu
unfavorable circumstances it encoun
tiers there.
mo more would the northern-growI
animal be suited to the southern range
or the animal from the extreme western
ranges, where moist atmosphere ant
open water prevail at most seasons, b.
suited to our mountain ranges, WHERE
the opposite conditions exist. l would
only say to those who contemplate en-
gaging in the business, guard against
extremes, and as nearly as possible
stock your range with stock grown
under circumstances similar to thost
prevalent where you locate. If it be.
comes necessary to procure stock at {
distance, it may be done gradually by
short drives and a seasons rest, guar.
~anteeing you acclimated stock and a
safe investment.
ITO further substantiate that cattle
growing on these free ranges is a profit
able business, l need only to refer to
the success of men who have followed
it judiciously. 1t is found that the
o nearly such have complied with
the common sense principles named in
this article, the greater their measure
of success, some of the most successful
having stayed in m location, and from
time to time purchased neighboring
herds grown on the range where they
wished to handle them. On the other
hand, serious losses in the majority OF
cases can be traced directly to the VIC
lation of the foregoing principles. The
past winter has been a cold one
throughout the country, yet the old,
range cattle that went into the
winter fat are in about as good condi-
ton as in former years. There is some
mortality among old animals, which
we always expect.
"CATTLE DEALER.n