The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-04

grain crops.
The fourth paper was presented by
Cadet w. w. Finley, of Wilkes county,
and the subject was:
CONFORMATION OF BEEF AND
DAIRY CATTLE.
The interest in cattle raising in the
South is increasing every year. This in
terest is partially due to the high price
of prime beef cattle. These high prices
make it apparent that the cheap lands
of North Carolina, with open climate and
natural tendency to grass growing, cat
tie can be raised at a far greater profit
than is realized from the present system
of agricultural production.
The first step toward the successful
growing of cattle is TO gain correct
knowledge of the essential points OF the
best milk giving or beef producing ami
mails 1t is a we'll known fact that two
opposite tendencies cannot be highly de-
veloped and maintained in the same or
ganzation a the same time 1t is i'm
possible to secure perfect beef and milk
functions at the same time. Every
farmer should decide whether he will
raise beef or dairy cattle, and drop the
dual purpose idea. which will mean only
second class cattle. and means that the
South will continue to raise beef at four
cents a pound. while the western farm
er gets one hundred per cent more for
special bred animals.
To find just how far the sypical beef
steer excels the dairy bred and scrub
steer we must go to the dressed carcass.
beef bred steer weighing 1000 pounds
will give q dressed carcass weighing $50
pounds, while a scrub steer weighing
the same. no matter how we'll fattened,
will give a dressed carcass of only $50
pounds 1t is the buyers business to
know what an animal will cut out on the
block, but when the man who raised the
beef does not know, he is obliged TO lose.
If every farmer would train his eye to
estimate the points of the animal with
reference to the purpose for which the
animal is wanted. he would seldom be
defrauded in buying or selling. The ideal
beef type is as follows: A massive, clean
cut head and a short thick neck. The
body should approach a parallelegram in
shape. that is the back should be straight
while the under line is parallel with it
throughout. The chest TO be broad and
full, the sides even and full. the should
ers and withers broad and fiat. the back
broad and we'll covered with firm flesh.
The active carriage, the large calm eye,
and the soft broad ear are points which
further indicate the animal of vigorous
constitution. Regardless of age and con-
dition the approved beef type will show
natural flesh--will have large muscles.
This is an inherited quality, and if cattle
lack this characteristic they can never
have their conformation changed by any
sort of food or care. The question as to
which beef breed is to be selected is one
of minor Importance. The only object of
the beef cattle is to be fat.
The typical dairy animal has the heavy
milk wedge; that is as viewed from
above, from the side, and from the rear
the body has a shaped outline with the
apexe forward. The forequarters are
light in conformation, but the barrel
must deepen toward the flank. A long
and more delicate head on a slender fiat
sided neck marks the good dairy form
This shoulder, sharp withers, and
prominent spinal column instead of the
broad fiat back of the beef animal. The
body or barrel of the dairy COW should be
large and deep, giving great capacity for
food. All angles of the body should be
clearly defined and the general shape of
the body should in no way approach the
parallelogram. Great nerve power should
be shown by broad dished forehead.
While it is true that pure bred animals
are very high priced, it is also true that
if you succeed the profits are very much
larger. In this connection let me
strongly urge the necessity of persisting
in the breed started with. The man who
uses a Devonsire for two or three years,
then a Shorthorn, and next a Holstein
or Jersey will own a nondescript heard
of all colors, of all shapes and of no
quality. l earnestly believe we are on
the threshold of better things more in
telligent system of breeding, more think
ing in connection with our industries.
The dollars and cents in the cattle bust
ness lie behind the present wall of igno-