The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-04-29
Excellence In Reef Cattle.

Excellence In Beef Cattle.
CONDENSED from Farmers Review Stem
ographic Report Of meeting Of Kansas
State Board Of Agriculture.)
Prof. G. F.. Curtis Of Iowa spoke on
practical excellence in beef cattle. Last
tall railroad man in Iowa had made
the statement that there were 80,000,-
600 bushels Of corn stored along the
railroads in that state that could not
be marketed at profit. Things have
changed some since then, but there is
little doubt that something like the
same conditions exist now in Kansas.
Within his memory there had not been
q time when the outlook for cattle rails
Ing was better than at present. He
then gave an illustrated talk on the
different breeds as beef producers. AS
we have previously reported this talk.
we will omit it now. The subject OF
gains in beef per pound of feed was
discussed.
Q.-In your experiments at the Iowa
experiment station is it not shown that
cattle having the same breeding and
the same age differ greatly as to the
comparative gains they can make on
the same food?
Ayes, sir; there are differences,
but those differences are more in
duenced by the manner Of feeding than
by the breeding Of cattle. We have
found that coarse-bred animal will
make more gain than flne-feshed an
imal.
Q.-What advantage do you find In
the Shorthorns over the Herefords?
A.-Well, we have made some expe-
riments and have not found much diff
ference. Sometimes our experiments
have been in favor of one breed and
sometimes of the other. do not think
that we have carried our experiments
far enough to be able to say for GER
tainty which is best.
Mr.. Norton-You spoke Of that three
or four year old Hereford steer gain
Ing more rapidly than some steers OF
another type. Did he not eat more?
Ayes, sir; the big steer is always
able to make better gain than a small
one, but it costs more.
Q.-Will it pay to buy Mexican steers
for feeding?
Al would not advise it as general
thing.
Q.-Is their any difference between
the Herefords and Shorthorns as to
their grazing qualities?
Al am not prepared to express an
opinion.
Mr.. Potter.-I think there will be
more money lost in going to Mexico
and other places for feeders than we are
likely to make up for some time. They
will put these cattle and their expen-
sive feed together and lose both.
Professor Cothell, being called on,
said that he agreed with Professor Cur
tiss as to the amount of gain certain
animals would make, but that there was
an immense difference in individuals
as to the use they could make of the
same food, even when such animals
We're of the same breed.
A Member.-Some years ago some Of
the farmers in my vicinity bought some
Texas cattle for fattening purposes.
But with the Texas cattle they bought
also the Texas fever and it worked gen.
eral havoc. Many of the farmers that
bought those cattle had been getting
along we'll, but some of them lost so
heavily through the fever that they
went out of the cattle business alto
gether. That experience should be a
lesson for all.
Mr.. c. M. Beeson spoke on the posi-
bilities and probabilities Of Western
Kansas. Western Kansas is now being
used for purposes which nature intend
ed it. Nature designed that part of the
state as a grazing region. But the i'm
migrants from Illinois and Ohio had
in their minds eye the pleasant homes
they had left, with orchards and grain
fields, and expected to reproduce the
same conditions in Western Kansas.
But the lessons of experience, though
costly, are never forgotten. And the
attempt at farming with grain as the
only resource has been proved to be an
expensive failure. The possibility Of
success in Western Kansas has been
changed into certainty.
Some Suggestions About Mold.
In the Produce Review Mr.. Geo. Still