Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1883-05-28

small injury in Sharp aud Nhllc coui'
ties, Arkansas. while 80 pen cent bc'-
ter than ordinary seasons is the t"Sii-
mony from Prairie. IN bojh states
winter protection is decreasing. The
condition i'm Vest Virginia is average.
Shelter /. not common except that pro-
vided by nature I'm Ohio and Michi-
can the localities that show no pro-
vision against storm are small and rate.
Feed was abundant, and stock is in un-
usual condition of flesh and health.
I'm Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana
shelter is not so general, although few
counties report "spring- poor cattle.
Cold rains and scarcity of grass
were hurtful in Lincoln county, Ken
lucky. In Wisconsin, Iowa, and Min
nesota. where shelter is n necessity,
stock is vigorous with hardly an eX.
ception. Cottonwood county, Mime
sofa, mentions impOverishment from
winters severity. The cattle OF Mis-
souri, depend largely on wind-breaks
that are frequently quite imaginary.
Mich COWS are sometimes provided
with sheds, but straw stacks, trees, ra-
vines and fences are the main prOtec-
tions. The high price of lumber and
the scarcity of timber check providing
shelter for cattle in Kansas. Large
herds generally 60 without protection.
Farmers engaged in general agrlcul-
ture generally protect their cattle by
means Of sheds made OF poles covered
with grass or straw. Losses by cold
and exposure are reported in CaSs,
Otoe and Boom counties, Nebraska.
The cattle on the great plains generally
came through the winter in fine con
dition. The year has been one Of not
able health among cattle
Theimprovemcnt Of cattle, by q larger
infusion ofShort-bom blood, and more
recently importation of Herefords,
has advanced maturity, reducing the
average age at which cattle are sent to
the butcher. An inquiry concerning the
extent OF this Improvement brings
abundant evidence that it is general in
all the states, though different in de-
gree. Ii is very marked in the cattle
growing res ION OF the west and in the
Atlantic states down to North Carolina.
1t is not so positive gain in New Eng
land, rs beef is of less Importance than
milk. and in y measure incidental to
beef production, the product OF COWS
advancing in age. The MaSsachu-
sets reports, for instance, average be-
tween four and five years as the AGE Of
native cattle slaughtered for beef.
Main, New Hampshire and Vermont
make au average of nearly four years;
/ - Il, 4 4
York. another dairy state, averages 1;
New Jersey, 4! and Pennsylvania be-
tween and t. There is some Yaria-
ton in the southern states, bat most OF
them average about t years, Georgia
and Alabama making u figure some
what less. Florida and Texas make an
average of b, rs do Arkansas, Ten
nessee, and West Virginia. The
states of the Ohio valley come very
near years, Indiana requiIing slightly
more time than Ohio and Illinois. West
of the Mississippi the average is nearly
- years, including The Pacific coast
region. The mountain section ranges
from 3 to three and half. The re.
turns are not sufficiently complete and
nicely discriminating as to make il
practicable to Indicate by minute frac-
tions the exact differences between the
states. 1t is difficult for correspond
ents to fix Il figure that will show the
true average, and these results are
therefore presented as an embodiment
of local views, the general accuracy
and consistency Of which may be can
vassed by the intelligent reader. In
Illinois three-fourths of the correspond
ents report decrease in the average
age of beeves in the past ten years.
The Winnebago correspondent says
that steers at three years old average
as mnch as steers of fnnr Nears in 1873.