Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-05-08

population at home and the expansion
OF our trade abroad. Hence, the meat
producer OF the future may confidently
look for and receive good profit on his
investment The qualities OF practical
essence in beef cattle should engage the
attention OF the breeder and feeder. Ut
is a matter OF prime importance at the
threshold OF the business.
Every successful breeder must be
student, and have a clear conception Of
what constitutes a good animal and know
about the characteristics which go to
make up a good herd. The small fiat
timbed natives OF the south, reduced to
their present size and unftness for beef
largely by the introduction of the Jersey
on southern farms a quarter of centu-
~ ago. will never be desirable or profit
able as beef cattle. We want a breed
which will rapidly take on flesh, increase
in size and weight. during the shortest
period of time. The best beef animal is
the one that carries TO the butcher the
highest points OF excellence and to the
producer the most profit. and no man is
more deeply interested in these essentials
than the breeder.
This is the keynote to the whole prob
lem OF beef production, and every success
full breeder must make the effort to meet
the conditions imposed by the market.
There are Of course some types OF beef
cattle. notably the Devon and Holstein,
which combine the elements OF beef and
milk to a high degree. But the ideal beef
type is separate and distinct from that
OF the high grade dairy COW. Hence. the
breeder OF strictly high grade beef cattle
must not expect to combine with his bust
ness. the production also of any consid-
cradle quantity Of milk and butter. AS a
general rule. almost any OF the best gra-
ded heifers of the beef type will easily
Ill
and milk.
The recent record of a short horn steer,
two years old. butchered at the stock
yards OF Chicago, gives some idea Of the
superior value Of high grade beef steer
over the ordinary native. He weighed
gross 100 pounds at two years of age,
and was one Of a carload to dress an
average Of 81 per cent OF net beef.
such cattle viii readily sell at cents
per pound on the hoof, (. o. b. shipping
points. or Se6 per head. Our natives. no
matter how fat or choice they may appear
will only command a price Of from 2 to 3
cents per pound on the hoof. They dress
mostly bone. tallow and a low grade of
beef.
We lose the profits by not approaching
the kind Of animal the market demands.
and make the business improbable
through the cost required to grow and
fatten an animal untitled for the purpose
we have in view. While thoroughbred
beef cattle are preferable, yet crossing a
pure bred sire on our native cows will in
a few years grade up a herd TO satisfac-
tory and profitable proportions. The Here
ford is unequalled as a high type OF beef
cattle. This Is true OF the reputation
which the HerefoTds have made in an
parts OF the United States for the range
or small farm. The ~. and Black Poll
Angus. Durham. Shorthorn Devons and
others are also splendid types and are pre-
ferred by many breeders who have the diff
ferent varieties OF these noble strains OF
beef cattle The plan Is TO buy a thor
oughbred bull and few heifers. give them
the attention and pasturage necessary and
determine to push the business to a sue
cessful finish. We can put as much flesh
on 2-year-old steer I'm Georgia as the
farmers can in Iowa or the Dakotas.
We can have green pasturage twelve
months In the year. which the western
breeders cannot have. We can thereby
put our cattle on tie market for less
money, because, in addition to the pastur-
age, we have our cotton seed meal and
hulls right at home which is a superior
and cheaper food than the corn meal OF
the west. We can. IL we will. successfully
compete with any section Of the country
IN the production of beef mutton and
PORK 1--WE JORDAN