The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-07-25
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Jersey Cattle in Texas.

My experience in breeding Jersey
cattle has been somewhat limited. 1t
is about ten years since 1 bought one
thoroughbred cow and heifer calf. The
next year l bought bull calf, from
an Indiana breeder, which died before
doing me any service. then bought
a bull from Colonel w. B. Montgomery,
which used three years, getting quite
nice bunch of heifer calves from him.
These were, of course, half-breeds, ex-
cept from the thoroughbred COW. /
have bought two bulls and one heller
since, paying good prices for them. 1
have sold my bulls at from three weeks
to six months old. for from forty to
seventy-fve dollars. One thorough
bred COW was killed in some
manner, and four calves have died,
and l now have twelve A. j. C.
c., COWS and heifers, two bulls, and
about twenty grades, females. Includ-
ing my first purchase 1 have paid $500
for cattle; have sold eight thorough
bred bulls for $625 and eight cows and
heifers, grades. for $40. l have sold
every year, for the last six, from $500
to $500 worth of butter, and am now
selling both milk and butter, my sales
for the month just passed amounting
to $165. For the greater portion of the
time have fed cotton seed with sheaf
oats or other hay in winter with pasture
all the time. For the last year have
been crushing corn and cob in giant
mill and mixing this with the seed.
To this l now add bran. / find
the better l feed the better re-
suits l get. In fact, / believe in full
feeding. My stock is all stabbed in
bad weather. In pleasant weather
they are turned into large yard after
feeding. 1 rely largely on grass both
for making milk and for the growth of
young things. My calves are taken
from the COWS at four or five days old.
They are fed whole milk till some four
weeks old, afterwards skim-milk
warmed to some 80 degrees for few
days when they are given milk di-
rectly from the dairy as soon as
creamed unless it is very cold. As soon
as they will eat it they are fed cotton
seed and bran, or chops or oats as
may have it. l have usually allowed
them to breed as soon as they would.
Have had calves dropped by heifers
only seventeen months old, but do not
advise coupling until one year old.
The strong points of a Jerseycow are:
her ability to convert her food into
rich milk in paying quantities; to con-
tinue this all the year around; her
docility; health and general thrift, all
combining to render her par excellence
the family or dairy cow. They seem
especially adapted to the South, as it is
climate similar to that of their ma
tive isle. They thrive on scant past
ure, because of the light. build and
active, nervous temperament, at the
same time respond to liberal keep in
good flow of rich milk. Volumes
have been said in her praise, and do
not remember to have seen any thing l
regarded as an exaggeration. She is the
rich mans pet, the poor mans sup
port; returning more in value for
what she is fed than any other of the
animal kingdom. In increasing num-
bers she is ready to redeem our own
Southland from its bondage to king
cotton and the Northern dairyman
who makes western BUTTER out of
cotton-seed oil, tallow, lard, Annatto
soap, axle grease, etc, ad nauseam.
1t is not claimed that the Jersey is a
special beef animal; but when the
grade steers have been fed they have
shown good results. In this however,
/ can not speak from experience, as l
never fed beef for market. The
Messrs. George andaAndrew Hamilton,
of this county, tell me that the grade
Jerseys they have fed have paid them
better than any other class of stock.
The Rowe brothers, who are also feed
ers, say that they prove satisfactory.
At the last Fat Stock Show" two
Jersey steer carried of the honors for
best beef, and, believe, for profitable
ness of production. But l sell grade
bull calves for veal, and if l lost them,
/ find it profitable to breed Jerseys for
the dairy B. Giles, in Southern
Cultivator.