The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-05-18
A SUCCESSFUL DAlRYMAN.

Big Average--Cost Of ProductiOu"-Cot-
ton Seed Better Than Meal-Makes
Firmer Butter.
Mr.. r. L. Shuford, of Jacobs Fork,
this county, was in this city Satur-
day marketing his products and buy
ing his family necessaries. Mr. Shu-
ford is a young man, a brother OF Con-
| gresham A. @. Shuford, was born and
reared on the farm and seems to like
it. He is today the leading and most
successful dairy man in the county, or
adjoining counties.
We asked him several questions con
corning his dairy business and from
his answers, gathered some facts on
dairying, which we feel will be inter-
esting as well as instructive to the
readers Of the Mercury, hence, give
them.
Nj. Shutord began dairyipg five
years ago. He started with only four
COWS. While he has added to these,
yet he has sold several. His herd has
grown to so head-cows and calves
and are of the. best and most improved
Jersey families noted for hardness,
milk and butter.
Beginning on a email scale, Mr.. Shu-
ford was better able to study the bust
ness in all it's details, and hence, grew
up with and became complete master
of his business.
Last year he decided to test his cows.
He began Jan. l, 1895, with Is COWS,
and ended the year with 20. The aver.
age COWS MIXED for the year were III.
Some Of them were dry part Of the
time, while Z Of them were heifers with
their first calves.
He made duringthe year 1886 pounds
OF butter, an average to the cow of 416
pounds. This is the highest average
that has been reported in all this Sec
ton. He has a cream separator. Says
it added 10 per cent. to the butter pro.
ducts and he could not be without it.
The butter was of the best quality and,
as low as butter could be bought, yet
his averaged 20 cents a pound. Be-
sides feeding several hogs, he raised IL
calves on the milk.
He said his profits were not large, as
it costs about 123 cents a pound to pro-
duce butter, the grain fed costing s
cents and the pasturage and rutfness
At cents. His grain feed, winter and
summer, is as follows: 8 parts cotton
seed, 8 parts wheat bran and 2 parts
corn meal.
He claims that cotton seed is better
for COWS than simply cotton meal, with
the oil out of it. Last year he ran out
of cotton seed, and was forced to use
cotton meal with his other grain. He
gave them the same quantity Of meal
as cotton seed in price, and he said he
found that his COWS fell b. ok in the
amount OF butter; and it was not as
firm and would not stand shipping as
well when made of the whole seed
would melt easier. This makes him
know from experience and close obser-
walton, that there is virtue in cotton
seed Oil in butter making, if he cannot
explain it, and if it does conflict with
the reports sent out by the experiment
stations.
Mr.. 6huford is milking "a COWS this
year, and thinks, with no bad LUCK"
as it is Called-to be able to make a
higher average this year than lest. He
is very anxious for others to go into
the business. He thinks their expert
ence would be beneficial to him; they
could exchange ideas, experiences and
results.
The Mercury rejoices in the fact that
in everything Catawba stands always
| head. AS a county and people, we
have much for which to be proud. We
commend the pluck and energy mani
8 tested by Me-. Shuford to others and
say to them that nothing succeeds like
success Hickory Mercury.
-