The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-06
BEEF RAISING IN GEORGIA.
OBSERVATIONS on THE SUBJECT BIZ
A MAN OF EXPERIENCE.

and Marketing Cattle in South
GeOrgia-ImprOved Breeds, Better
Care and Better Feeding of Cattle
and Intelligent Handling in Pre-
pairing for Market the Essentials
of Success.
The agitation of the subject of cattle
raising as a profitable industry for South
| Georgia in the columns of the Morning
News has aroused much interest and
promises to lead to the desired results.
Mr.. j. Robert Dreamer, who was recent
~ appointed inspector of fertilizers at Sa-
vannah, has had much experience in the
buying and selling of cattle in South Geor-
gia, and also as a practical butcher, and
is well qualified TO speak upon this sub
ject. Mr.. Creamers views are in line
with others who have been quoted by the
Morning News. better breed of cattle,
more care taken of the cattle during the
progress Of their growth, better feeding
and intelligent handling in delivering the
beef to market, are the essentials to sue
cess, Mr.. Dreamer says.
Il have learned what I know of cattle
raising in South Georgia." he said, from
constant observation. Having been ASSOCIATE
ed in the butcher business with my father
for number of years, handling mostly
native meats, and having travelled
throughout most of the counties of South
Georgia, particularly the coast counties,
purchasing cattle, 1 am prepared to say
that the raising of cattle in South Geor-
gia can be made a profitable industry If
inteligently conducted. South Georgia
has abundant pasture, and, what is of al
most as much value, immense cane
brakes. The trouble is that the farmers
have not the breed of cattle which is need
ed to secure profitable results. Yet the
cattle raised in South Georgia to-day are
far superior to those of a few years back.
Only five years ago the famous Bryan
county scrub COW was as well
known as the long horned runts which the
Florida farmers now raise. am strong
advocate of the use of native meats, yet
how can beef be tender and fit for use, TO
say nothing of being profitable to the rails
er, if not cared for A steer should be
grown ana ready for the market when three
years old, yet in South Georgia they are
only yearlngs in size at that age. Why
is this so? First, because of the inferior
breed; second, because the cattle are
turned loose to shift for themselves
throughout the winter, and third, because
they are given no protection. If it WASH [
for the green moss on which the cattle
live during the winter We would hardly
have any cattle al all. Cattle, like all
other animals require protection during
the winter months. Sheds should be erect
ed throughout the pastures where the cat
tie could seek shelter from the cold win
| ter winds. In order to obtain the best
results the cattle should be fed with cook
| ed food, If only once a day. Along the
| coast the heavy canebrakes make quite a
warm and comfortable shelter for the cat
| tie during the winter"
Asked as to the best breed of cattle for
beef purposes, Mr.. Dreamer said: Having
visited the stock ranches OF North Geor-
| gia, Tennessee and Kentucky, 1 will say
| that the Holstein, Red Devon and short
| horn Durham make the most profitable
! beef cattle. They should be crossed often
! and l will guarantee that cattle of these
| breeds, when properly cared for and fed,
viii at three years old, weigh from AGO TO
| 600 pounds net, bringing a market price of
from to cents a pound. Cattle of this
! kind cost more to raise of
course, but look at the diff
ference in profit. A common South
| Georgia COW of to-day at three years old
| is not much larger than a good sized year
! ling of better breed. At or years old
! she might be fit for beef, If fed and will
weigh from go to 300 pounds net, worth
| in the market cents to 41s cents a pound
| Sometimes the price reaches cents. Look
| al the difference: Durham or Devon, g.
year-old 600 pounds, at cents a pound
| S36; common stock years old, $50 pounds
| any where from $10.50 to $3.50 1t should
| require no argument TO show the advant-
| age of raising the better breeds and taking
proper care of them"
Beef from cattle of the grades I have
mentioned" said Mr.. Creamer lis as
| juicy and as tender as any beef on the
market to-day, provided of course, the cat
tie have been properly fed and the beef
| properly dressed In dressing cattle the
| only secret of success known to me is in
| taking the animal heat out of the carcass
| very shortly after the animal has been
! killed. Beef from which the animal heat
has been properly taken will keep as long
as any Western beef. The beef should not
| be laid fiat upon the ice as it is not desira-
| bic to freeze it. A temperature of from
! IS to 80 degrees Is sufficient to keep beef
| Take the ordinary method of putting the
! native beef on the market and you will see
very readily why the product is not sat
| sfactory. The butcher goes out to the
! pasture where the animal has been feed
! ing, chases it around the lot and kills it
| while excited The beef IS then brought TO
market with the animal heat left in it.
! The result is that you not only have
tough beef, but beef that will not keep
long, especially in hot weather l have
! known beef of this kind to become often
sive inside of twenty-four hours, even
| when kept on ice. A car load of ice would
\ not save it,"
while deputy clerk of the city mar
ket," continued Mr.. Creamer Il have con-
demned cart loads of pork and beef from
! the adjacent counties that was killed in
the manner that l have just described
| The meat was thrown in the wagon short
~ after being killed, with the animal heat
! still i'm it. The weather turned warm and
! before the farmer reached the market the
meat was in such condition that ice could
! not save it,
IF some Of the farmers of South Geor-
gia would take hold Of cattle raising in a
! proper manner" said Mr.. Dreamer in con-
| cluson, Others would soon follow and
the thousands of dollars now sent out of
| the state annually for fresh meats would
be kept at home. You can rest assured
that if We had finer native meats some