Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-09-29
Raise Good Stock.


We believe in raising good stock;
and by this we mean improved stock.
Indeed, it is poor economy, or no econo-
my at all, to raise any other kind. No
matter how much or how little stock
farmer raises, it should be good; it
should be in point of quality as near per-
feet as it is possible to attain. 1t should
combine those characters which consti-
7tute intrinsic value. The improved
breeds of cattle, sheep and hogs are the
results of long continued, perseveripg
efforts to produce and fix characters
tics that are required to insure the best
pecuniary returns, or enhance the profits
arising from rearing these useful do
mesic animals. In the case of beef,
Euutton and pork the objects sought are
early maturity and the largest percent
sge of prime meat to weight of carcass.
Many years of observation and study
have brought a vast amount of knowl-
edge pertaining to breeding and man
agement. 1t is to such knowledge that we
are indebted for the excellence found in
all of our improved breeds of useful an
imals. As a general thing, farmers
raise few horses, cattle and hogs. and
of late years more of them keep sheep
than was the rule previously. There are
those who make speciality of some
particular branch of livestock hus-
tbandry, and make all their farming
operations subsidiary to that speciality;
and this is eminently judicious in many
cases; but farmers generally are not
specialists in this sense. They raise
only such animals, and these only in
such numbers, as they think necessary
in conducting their business to advant-
age. The mistake made by very many,
however, is in the kind and quality of
the stock they raise. Many men who
are working small farms think that it
will not pay them to raise improved
stock, or that the cost of improved
breeding stock of popular strains of
blood, and of taking care of it, will not
compensate them in profitable returns.
They could not make a greater mistake.
The lessons taught at stock yards and
stock shows explode such hasty, pre-
conceived notions. It costs no more,
nor IS much, to raise improved animals
than it does to raise the poorer common
sorts. Every one understands the en-
HANGED value of well-bred stock when
the test of the butchers block is APP
piled, and if sufficient care is exercised,
or pains taken, by our farming friends,
who say they are farming only in a small
way and can not afford to buy high-bred
stock for breeding purposes, it will not
take long before they will change their
minds. -
"A common error, also, is the mistaken
opinion that to make stock-raising pay
it must be done on large scale; that a
large capitals necessary to carry the
business ON successfully; that many
broad acres are required; numerous la
borers kept-someO of them at high prices
to feed and take care of the ''aristo-
cratic" brutes; that rich feed must be
purchased Or furnished at no little cost;
that extensive and costly stables and
barns must be provided, and various
other accessories that are presumed to
be necessary to the business. 1t is true
that to conduct a stock farm of this kind
capital is necessary, but it is also true
that there are hazards to run that are
not encountered on a less pretentious
fam, where the operations are not on
such an extensive scale. But the point
we desire 70 emphasize is, that on farms
of moderate size more and better stock
than is now carried can be kept; and
what is kept should be bred atpar0rd I'M
til it is as near what is desired as posi-
BILE. If but 9 single horse is raised, let
it be such an animal as will find ready
sale at a paying price; and SO of all 9TH
er kinds of stock. However small the
scale on which start is made, if the
commencement is right and Judgment
and care are exercised in breeding, all
the time, in a few years a class of farm
animals may be produced of superior
quality, which will represent money
value far greater than that of common
stock, and amply remunerate its owner
for his original outlay for breeding stock.
-Pr0ia9c Farmer.