Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-07-16
BEEF PRODUCTION.
A Golden Opportunity of the South
With It's Cheap Feed and Forage.


With It's Cheap Feed and Forage.
We may s&y we have done nothing
but live here in the south and are get
ting our meats from the north, keeping
our SmOkchOuscs and cOrncribs in the
north and west. and are raising here
and there Il few poor little cattle that
are called dogs" OH the big markets
and when shipped hardly pay the
freight, while poor old, feeble King
Cotton is struggling hard to pay the
bills. This is absurd, but it is true.
You see thousands and thousands of
acres of WOrnout land being taxed to
raise cotton which, if tended and
fenced, would yield Il handsome reve-
nue. as Il pasture and, furthermore
would in few years restore the land
to its original fertility. On the other
hand. we have plenty Of fertile land
that would yield us an abundance of
nutritious forage, such as sorghum,
pea vines, alfalfa. besides Il great many
other grasses that VII. make an abun-
dance of valuabil hay for winter feed
ing, and here is the great advantage
we have over Our northern and west
'ern brethren. We have nine months
Of the year in which our stock can run
on open pasture and three months in
which ii requires food and shelter
But expensive shelters are not neces-
sary; neither is the abundance of food
required TO maintain the animal heat,
which, of course. greatly reduces the
cost Of productions Besides. you will
find for winter grazing Il field of oats
and Vctch for cattle to run on, u most
valuable crop, which saves the expense
of silo. And here wish to impress
upon you the great Importance of Win
tering your stock well. When we feed
nice bunch of good cattle, that food
consumed is not wasted, for they are
the great machines that grind up the |
produce of the farm into valuable |
meat. But, listen. When you take Il
crop off your land, is it not right that !
something should be returned? BY |
feeding stock upon the farm the ma
nure is returned TO the fields. BY SO |
doing you are selling your hay, your
corn and the products of your farm |
and at the same time are returning to
your land Il most valuable fertilizer.
And here | wish TO speak of the strOn-
gest point in favor of cattle raising in
the south, and that is in the value Of
cottonseed ms being the cheapest
grain feed that can be fed either to
beef cattle or dairy cattle, especially
for beef cattle, in fitting them for the
block. The following will show the
value of cottOnSced to the southern
farmer, the truth of which has been
tested by the Mississippi experiment
station:
FirSt.-That Il pound of cottOnsecd
pound of corn.
Second That a pound of cottonsced
meal has Il feeding value about equal
to two pounds of corn
Third.-That at least 81 per cent of
The fcr,iliZing ingredients is cXcretcd
by th2 animal fed and may be recov-
cred in The manure and that cottOnseed
md CCt'OnscCd meal may be fed in
proper quantities and mixed with other
'Cc;,.; to dairy cattle without injury to ,
he milk or butter. ,
And here | will give you profitable !
method Of feeding cattle OH the farm
with straight cottOnseed. Fence in ,
your cornfelGs and plant in peas. Aft ,
" the corn is gathered turn in your
,atflc and begin feeding Il pound of
,ot;onSccd, gradually increasing it to
our or five pounds. At the end Of six .
y days you will turn out cattle that =,
will be money makers. At the same 4;
ime you fcrtiliZe your land and pre- .
'are it for another crop. l.
TO thoroughly finish your cattle they :
hOuld be taken up and fed thirty days :,
onger Oh c0ttonSccd meal and hulls, l.
With hay or corn and cob meal with :,
lay. But of course this depends upon ;,
he class of cattle YOU are feeding and q
he market to which you expect to =
hip.-F. u. Constant, Louisiana. 81