The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-05
CATTLE FED BY THOUSANDS.
How the Industry in Nebraska Is
Carried On.

How the Industry in Nebraska Is
Carried On.
Omaha (Neb) World Herald.
The first of this article appeared in last
weeks Semi Weekly G | b e. The con-
clpsion Is as follows:
The handling of 10000 hogs in feed lots.
following cattle, is an undertaking that
requires nerve in these times OF box
cholera and swine plague. The swine
management is in accordance with the
general trend of care and sanitary pre-
caution that characterizes the feeding
operations throughout. Hogs are intend
ed in the main part to subsist on the
waste from the cattle, but in addition to
this they receive a daily allowance OF
slops made from mill feed, They also
are supplied with a corrective OF digest
composed of mixture in the following
proportion: One bushel slack COAL ten
pounds salt, two pounds sulphur and one
pound saltpeter. This is placed in
hog trough where it is accessible at all
times. In case an invasion of hog cholera
occurs in any of the herds, the best avail
able treatment is used, and by dlligent
treatment and good sanitary measures
employed the disease is arrested without
alarming fatality.
But few of this immense herd of hogs
are raised on the ranch. They are bought
tricts and states West, where the corn
crop is not sufficient to mature them into
the finished pork products.
The value of the hog to the cattle feed
Ing industry Is variously estimated as
factor in the profit. Three dollars per
head on the steers fed is a conservative
figure to be added by the use of the
hog as a helper.
The sheep-feeding division Is separate
vi hh
constitutes an industry of itself. The
sheep-feeding ranch comprises about
forty acres and Is laid off in blocks of
lots or yards, with streets and alleys to
accommodate the handling of the various
punches of sheep, and to admit of easy
access to the yards with team for distri-
button of feed and cleaning pens when
desired.
In addition to the feed lot or yard,
where the sheep are kept and receive
their hay and rough feeds, each block Of
four pens has a separate feed lot located
in the center of the block; this lot con-
tains no furnishings but feed troughs.
which are sufficient to hold feed for all
the sheep confined in any yard In the
block. Opening into this from each of
the adjoining yards is a wide gate, which
is thrown open to admit pen Of sheep
when the feed is in the troughs. This
plan Obviates all annoyance in placing
the feed and gives the sheep an equal
chance in getting to troughs first, which
is the ambition among sheep, as well as
among some other kinds of animals.
The sheep are usually brought from
New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, Idaho,
Montana and Oregon. The amount Of
corn per 100 head per day consumed varies
from three to five bushels, depending
somewhat upon the size of the sheep and
the condition of the weather. They are
given all they will eat up clean as soon
as they are brought on to full feed. The
sheep are usually fed out and shipped be"
fore the shearing season. Lambs require
a little different feed and care than old
er sheep.
An especially interesting feature in this
enterprise is the amount of feed con-.
Sumed and the local barket it creates for
corn and hay. The hay consumed last.
year was 10,000 tons, and the corn. 1000
000 bushels. Of this amount $4,000 bushels
of corn and 5000 tons of hay were raised
on the feeding ranches. The amount of
corn consumed per day during the feed
ing season ranges from 5000 to 1000 bush
els, depending upon the amount of stock
in the yards. The commercial value of
this business to the farming districts, in
the localities where these feeding stations
are, can be more fully appreciated when
we say that there was nearly 500, 900 paid
out by this firm last year for farm pro-
ducts to be converted into beef, pork and
mutton.
An established principle in the manage
ment Of these feeding operations Is not
to ship until the animals are ready to go,
that Is, half fat or warmed-up stock
never leaves the Hord feed yards