The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-04
SELL CATTLE YOUNG.
Advice of the President of the Ma
tional Livestock Exchange.

S4OudA LIVESTOCK E3C4auS6s
Sioux City, Ia Dec. 4-The ninth an
nual convention of the National Live
stock Exchange began here at p. m.
yesterday.
The convention brings to Sioux City,
besides the foremost Representatives
of the livestock industry of the land,
the largest number of representative
railroad men ever in attendance upon
a meeting of the national body outside
of Chicago.
composed of the livestock exchanges of
Chicago, Kansas City, South Omaha,
East st. Louis, Louisville, Fit. Worth,
St. Joseph, Pittsburg and South St.
Paul. and each exchange has a full del
egation with the exception OF Pitts
burg.
President w H Thompson, Jr.. in
addressing the convention, said IN
part:
It occurs to me that there are sew
eral important changes in raising cat
tie that should be made, and which we
should recommend the producer to
make in order to increase the value of
his productions, tO-wit: (a.) Gradual
ly returning or getting rid of the COM
mon or plain class of cattle by crossing
the breed with the best grades to be
obtained and continue this cross breed
ing until we have nothing in this coun-
try but the half, three quarters and
thOroughbreds, the latter being desir-
able for breeding purposes principally,
as this animal is not so profitable to
the producer as the half and three
quarter strain, which, generally speak
ing, is a better propOrtiOned and more
desirable animal for food than the
thoroughbred.
Prepare and market your beef
steer either as a yearIing or 2-year-old;
in no case keep them beyond three
years. 1t is during these years that the
sap is in the beef and if fat, the animal
is in the best condition for the market
he will ever be, or you can ever make
There & of or
fat that natures after the third year
that adds to his marketable value, and
then again, after that time a greater
quantity and heavier feed is required.
The heavy cuts of beef that were once
in demand are fast losing their prest-
ige, as now the general inquiry and de-
mand of the customer is for prime
young light weights of beef. Evidences
of this may frequently be seen in the
market quotations of cattle sales,
wherein prime yearlings are sold at the
same price per pound as prime 4-year-
old matured and finished cattle, which
have cost the producer a goodIy sum
per animal more to make.
To such of our constituency as deem
the branding of their herds as nee
esSary, 1 would say, do not put your
brand on that part of the hide which is
valuable for leather. The rump brands
means a loss to the producer of from so
to 70 cents per head, according to the
size Of the brand. while the side brand
depreciates the value of the hide of the
lDO
varying with the extent of the brand
used. The hide and leather dealer
makes the determinations on brand
ed hides when purchasing from the
slaughterers and the slanghterer, OF
course, recOups himself by buying his
branded cattle just that much cheaper.
therefore the producer depreciates the
value OF his animal to this extent, or
in other words, pays for the privilege
OF branding his own property.
As an auxiliary to profitable cattle
feeding, the pork and lard producing
animal commonly called the hog, is a
necessity. The same suggestions re-
garding early maturity and marketing
apply with equal force to this animal
as to beef cattle. Not many years ago |
the heavy hog was in the greatest de-
mand by slaughterers on account of the |
heavy cuts of meat and the large |
yield Of lard obtained, while today the |
lighter cuts of pork have the prefer
ence at the hand of the consumer, and |
therefore, the slaughterer, who is |
obliged to cater to the customers |
wants, must need have the lighter |
and then again, there has |
been manufa ctured and placed on the |
market substitutes, which, with many |
take the place of lard and |
at q less cost to them and to such an |
extent, that for the present at least, |
the heavy packing hog has given way
to his early matured lighter weight
brother.
I think it proper to suggest to the
producer to grade his hogs to the ex-
tent of his ability Have them ready
for market and market them as young
as possible, not weighing to exceed 300 |
pounds, or, what would be better still
aim to have them so bred and raised |
that they will be in fine condition and
ready for market when weighing from
200 to 240 pounds. This will subserve |
his interests in at least two ways It
Will have a tendency to reduce his |
stock of lard and make it more valua-
Ole to the producer and hogs marketed
when of these weights will mean |
hogs, which will undoubtedly |
reduce the losses sustained by pro- |
ducers owing to the ravages of hog
cholera.