San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-08-17
Put the Bull to Work.

New York and Mail Express.
The one idle animal upon the dairy
farm is the bull, which occupies the
position of "a gentleman of leisure"
while all the rest of the live stock
are earning daily bread by sweat of
brow, or whatever corresponds to
that evidence of honest toll. Some
owners of bulls are waking up to the
idea that this is not good for their
own pockets, nor for his tau rian
lordship himself Idleness breeds
viciousness in bulls as we'll as in men
and has a bad effect upon health as
we'll as temper. So those who have
grasped the Idea aud put it in prac-
tice have learned that a bull can be
probably put at work and thereby
become useful as a work animal, and
more useful, and for p longer time, as
a sire. II all bull owners would come
to the same sensible view iG would be
Re better for them and for their herds.
An exchange sums up the case in
favor Of making the bull earn his liv-
| ing as follows:
n a uuCSllOb VI
2.year-old bull will draw a plow, a
harrow or loaded cart as well as
horse, and if of the smaller and ner-
vous breeds, a Jersey, Devon, or Ayr
shire, may be trained TO walk quite
az fast. This labor during the season
will repay a large part of his
keeping.
2, AS a method OF precaution in
handling The bull worked regular
~ ard kept under control OF master
becomes disciplined servant,
knowing his masters voice." and
needing his commands, even when
melted 70 disobedience by his own
passions. The sudden outbreaks on
the part of bulls which have pre-
viously been easily handled are
usually the results OF giving way of
the nervous system to q species
of emotional insanity" for proven
ton there is no better remedy than
hard labor, even to the point of
exhaustion.
3. For the benefit of the breed.
More than three-fourtbs of the bulls
are killed before ever one calf got by
them has come to an age which would
enable the owner to judge of the
merit of the parent as breeding stock,
that Is, among those who keep fine
stock for breeding purposes. ,nong
those who do not care for the pedi-
gree of the animal or the quality of
the calf, all bulls usually go to the
butchers at an early age, and proba-
bly, will, and most of them probably
ought to. When a man pays 500, 500
or $500 for an animal r to, breed from,
he should use him Tas long as he is
fit for service unless results show
fault; but it costs 80 much to Keep
him when not att6aYIy needed, he
leafs his head roff,"l and he gets
little cross, and he goes to the
slaughter and % az younger animal
takes his place, andeby thestime that
his value as a stock getter. iis demon
strated by his earlier CALVES, he is no
longer available, and the only way
to perpetuate his blood is by some
of bis offspring, which may have
more of his faults than his excellence.
4. For the Improvement of individ-
uals and herds. A well-matured
animal will get offspring of stronger
constitution, and impress upon them
the characteristics of his breed more
strongly than he could have done
when younger, and an animal with
muscles firm and nerves quiet from
daily exercise In moderation will do
better in every way as a breeding
sire than the pampered, overfed,
nervous animal. whose exercise is
limited to his efforts to drive away
tOrmenting flies.