Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-06-05
SEE HERE, CATTLE. MEN.
What to Do This Spring in Preparation
for the Boom. "

What to Do This Spring in Preparation
for the Boom.
There is a large shortage of cattle-a
shortage which it will be difficult to
cover. and there are but two ways to do
it. The legitimate and permanent method
is breeding. but cattle men will be slow
to adopt this course. They are yet too
badly de1noralized to accept the change
as permanent. and from breeding it
seems a long road to results. This is
true, but it is the road nevertheless. It
is the only way in which the supply Of
cattle can be had to meet the demand,
and it should be good breeding and good
feeding. Good cattle will command
long prices. 1t is now difficult to tell
where prices will go, and | will not I'M
dertake to say. but | will venture this
much, that there is a good ten years of
prosperity ahead of US, and it is very
doubtful whether the supply can meet
or overtake the demand in ten years
time.
This shortage can be partially covered
by better feeding, but cattle men will
meet the opening spring without grain
and with thin cattle.
All stock should be put on good grass.
Sweet corn should be planted as early as
possible. and this will be ready to feed
in July. At the same time the ever
green corn should be planted, and it will
follow the early variety with good ears
and will last until field corn is ready.
In this way steers that come to grass
thin may be ready for market in later
fall and early winter, and take well up
to the top of the market; or they may
have oil cake on grass from the start.
The market will pay for it.
The English feeders are receiving large
shipments of cotton seed from Egypt,
Many of the American feeders are with
in reach of cotton seed and cotton seed
cake.
The shipment of good breeding COWS
for slaughter should stop. Such, how
ever, as are not good breeders should be
sent off and only useful stock kept.
A statistical bureau should be organ
lied to gather facts in reference to the
cattle trade, that cattle men may under
stand the existing facts that have a bear
ing on their business. If this had been
in operation for the last two years, or
eve for the last five years, we should
not have the depression which we have
gone through. EARLY steps should be
taken to organize for this purpose.
The majority of cattle men are scat
tered and do not come in contact with
each other so that they can keep posted.
Could they know just how many cattle
come to the leading markets of the world
each week, and just how many go into
consumption, how many go east, how
many go west. and in what shape they
go. and how many are exported to other
countries in live cattle, dressed beef, in
cans and salted, they would soon under
stand the conditions of trade.
If they could see what kind Of cattle
bring the top of the market and what
kind take the bottom of the market,
and should they compare notes and find
that the steer that stands at the top cost
no more than the one that goes to the
bottom. they would then be reaching
for the top place.
We ought to improve the coming op-
portunities and get upon a higher level.
We can command the best of the worlds
markets, and in those markets have no
competition.
In discussing these questions at the
stock yards a few days since l was met
with this assertion that there were a
great many people who could not afford
to buy the best beef; that they must
take the poorer quality. l replied to
this that the third and fourth rate pieces
in a well bred and we'll fed steer were
better than the best pieces in a scrub
and poorly fed steer.-T. l.. Miller in
| Breeders Gazette.