The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1899-02-16
-. p,iry stuns and Reef.

= beef are engaging the attention OF /
u ,boughtful farmers in the state as |
- before and more especially in the |
tons of the same that have been |
80 by hog cholera. That dread dis |
-. Is a disturbing factor that is in
.-,ssring with certain lines OF produc-
", and somewhat seriously. In dairy
10 II is a disturbing clement more than
: other lines. since much of the skim
III and all OF the buttermilk from
n a.sauerles Is fed to hogs. In Freedom
n oountv more than in many other counties
!. the force of this disturbing element
,elr since Freedom is the banner dairy
county OF the state.
Many farmers are perplexed as to what
mould be done. In the hope Of throw
i,p some light upon the situation, a
II i'm. of farmers was convened at
.TFsrt Lea on the 18th ult. Professors
I1asc,sr and Reynolds and the writer
ne invited to give their views. The
question of hog cholera was gone over
IN all its various phases by DIR. Rey-
nolds In fact the discussion of that
inject was the feature Of the meeting.
Tba trend Of the doctor advice was
n n 90 slow on raising hogs In badly in
a sactad centers for a time, in fact until
a bog cholera virtually ceased to exist in
any marked degree. Attention should in
i he meantime, be given TO other lines
Of animal production. But one or two
4 brood sows could be retained on ,~2ry
arm. If these should in the meantime
he lost. the loss would not be serious
If they escaped the farmer would be
IN a position TO grow pigs again from
her progeny
The advice is unquestionably sound. 1t
,s Of the greatest moment to the farmer
E. ~ xHraI ~ no
snatched away from him when almost
ready for the market. 1t does seem very
unwise that he should raise up one crop
~ hogs after another as an Offering
10 the demon of hog cholera. And why
the farmers should persist in doing 1t
in the face of such experience is certainly
surprtsing when one thinks of II. If that
was the only product which they could
crow as a source Of revenue it would be
Sfarent. But when beef and mutton
can both be grown at profit, surely 1t
would be the part of wisdom for the
farmers to grow one or both of these in
the meantime.
But there is an obstacle in the way of
growing beef on some farms. 1t is
serious one. The cows are straight dairy
cows and the progeny of these cows are
not good for growing beef. The question
of how to grow those dairy calves into
meat at a profit was earnestly discussed
The opinion prevailed that 1t could not
be done unless the calves were marketed
when young, say from tke age of six to
eighteen months. Under the last men,
toned age they could be made to attain
pumpness that does not characterize
them later The opinion seemed to pre-
vail that such cattle could not be grown
to maturity with any profit if they were
grown for beef, and even when the calves
are sold young the question of any
marked profit from growing them for
meat is a doubtful factor. They are dis
counted in price as compared with calves
Of similar ages from beef stres.
Much more fortunate are the farmers
in cholera infected districts at the pres
rs emit time, who have dual purpose COWS.
They can swing over from pork produc-
M ton to beef production with but little
disturbance to their plans. They have
Ne but to introduce Shorthorn 5lres into
their herds and in the progeny they have
the material for turning skim milk to
the best possible account. Mr.. Joseph
n Slater of Albert Lea recently sold calf
from a dual purpose COW for SILL This
calf was only Ave months old. 1t was
sold as meat 1t was fed new milk fol
only two weeks at the first. After thai
time 1t was fed on skim milk and ad-
iuncts The chief of these adjuncts was
ground succotash, that is to say mix
ture of ground wheat and oats |. az hevt
been grown together. The calf weighed
$50 pounds 1t was sold for meat at Al
\ bert Lea at $40 per 100 pounds live
weight. Now there was nothing extraor
binary about this calf. 1t was of course
a good one, but il was what sny goot
feeder may do with a calf from a dua
purpose COW and a Shorthorn sire. Tit
price paid per hundred for this calf wa
not extraordinary. Nearly as much Il
being paid for lean stockers in the stock
yards to-day. and yet the grower go
s2l.12 cash for his calf This is not yer!
far below the average obtained as the re
turn from dairy cow for The who'll
year.
Happy are the farmers who have goo
dual purpose cows upon their farms to
{ day And where hog cholera has swep
the country they are peculiarly fortunate
They can feed all their skim milk t
their calves and grow them into mea
r. at a splendid profit, while those VIII
have straight dairy COWS must sell thei
calves for meat at a much less profit Y
course they can kill the calves at birth
NJ but then they would have to throw thei
skim milk away, unless they could bu
calves from beef sires and dual purpos
dams. This, however, cannot be easil
done, as the owners of such calves ar
usually aware that they have a goo
thing.
Dr. A. c. Wedge of Albert Lea ha
herd of pure Shorthorns N 1897 h
realized for the milk and for tn
progeny $50 per COW. The COW
were twenty -seven in number. The
were pure Shorthorns. Some even sa
that Shorthorns are a beef breed, an
yet Dr. Wedge realized $50 per COW fe
the cream which he sold at the creamerI
And a considerable proportion OF II
skim milk was fed to swine. The Walt
E Of this milk is not included in the "
mentioned above as the average retui
e obtained from each cow. He sells all
& nearly all his young stock for preeolI
Il uses. A few years ago they had in
manner to be given away but now peop
are scrambling to get them. He cou
81 have sold 100 young males and mo
& during the past season If he had pc
sessed them.
r 1t is fortunate indeed, as previous
II stated. that so many dual purpose COY
e are still in the land. and especially
sections that are being so devastated WI
hog cholera. DR.. Wedge claims that ev
now more than half the cows on t
n farms of Freedom county are o. &c du
purpose type ..-.s is not little !
markable. for the farmers We're advis
again and again wiue the beef tide W
enbing lower and lower, to introdll
straight dairy sires. Not n few of the
acted on the advice and now many W
did so are on the lookout for Shorthoi
Red Poll and Brown Swiss sires. Tn
are returning again to their first To-
The farmers make many mistakes
e yet there is a good thick strata of sou
sense after all underlying much of tn
e work The dual purpose COW always
peen favorite animal with the aVera
level-headed farmer. In clinging to
e when the tide was out he s owed me
e wisdom tnsn many of las teachers,
they told him he was o.inging to a my
n 70 something that did not exist. But n
me tide Is coming in, and the farm
nhds that he can get a return of $50
r. wv year from this mytn. The gr
aim of the farmer at the present IL
Is TO multiply tn ,se myths upon tn
farms They cam VI get enough OF tbs
theY are the strongest riyths that hi
ever been known since the world hes