Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-11-03

| NEED ErTrLE PRoTECrIoN-GREAT
IMPROVEMENT IN THE STOCK BY INTRO
DUCING PURE BRED sIREs.
The bringing of many thousand cattle
from the United States and even from
Mexico into the central and western
parts of Canada has called attention tC
an industry which is growing with enor
nous strides. West of the cold sections Of
Manitoba, where such excellent wheat is
grown, are many miles of rolling prairie
which are already supporting tens Of
thousands of lusty cattle and will feed
largely increased numbers as the years
go on. The great asset of this region is
the Chinook wind from the Pacific
Ocean, which so tempers the climate
that stock can, generally speaking, sus-
tain themselves on the ranges without
shelter all winter. A rich grass covers
the country, supplying food summer and
winter. The SHOWS are not usually
deep, nor do they remain on the ground
long. Periods of warm, springlike
weather occur at intervals in the winter
months, and the streams and pools are
free of ice.
Southern Alberta is the most favored
section of cattle raising. In neighboring
districts stock has to be fed and sheltered
several months in the year, but in this
country hardy animals need no attention
from January to January. 1t is advisable
to look after the young animals, especial
ly those brought in from other sections,
in the worst of the winter. Hay can be
had in abundance, however, without
being cultivated, 50 the expense of feed
ing in winter is not great. In fact, S3 a
head is the regular price for sheltering
and feeding for the winter. Men who
have few cattle of their own often take
in certain number from the big herds,
and thus add TO their income.
Cattle roam at will over the ranges,
which are free to all. In the spring
there is roundup for the branding OF
calves, and again in the fall for the selec-
ton of the stock that is to go to market
The rest of the year a general watch
must be kept on the cattle 70 keep them
from straying too far. Sometimes they
are found a hundred miles from their
owners home. Search for lost animals
is kept up Systematically, the firms and
individuals combining to send parties
out for this purpose. Indeed, at the
roundups and throughout the year a
sort of cooperation is practised among
the ranchmen, the result being much
greater efficiency of labor. In spite OF
every care, however, a considerable per-
centage of the cattle disappears utterly.
1t is reckoned that an owner usually
markets only 70 per cent of the cattle in
his herds.
The entire profit of the business does
not come, however, from the calves
raised. A great deal is made by buying
stock year old or under and allowing
it to mature. Many farmers in Eastern
Canada have not the pasturage and can
not afford to buy the hay to feed their
young cattle, and consequently sell them
at low figures for shipment West. The
Canadian Pacific road makes a cheap
rate so that these stockers, as they are
called, can be set out on the ranges at
something like SIS head.
Mexico is also sending huge shipments
of young stock into the Alberta country.
Prices are so low that after paying the
freight ranchers can unload their con-
signments at figures that yield good prof
its. At first the weather is rather hard
on the animals from the South, and they
must be looked after more or less. But
they thrive amazingly and reach far bet
ter proportions than they would If kept
in Mexico. A Texas firm has shipped
$4,000 head into Canada in two years,
and other dealers have sent smaller
numbers.
Grass fed steers at the age of three
bring from so to S45 head at the ship
ping point, and when year older S45 to
S54. Last year, when the price of beef
was so high in the United States, some
cattle were proftably sent to Chicago,
paying a duty of - per cent. Eastern
Canada and Europe absorb much of the
beef, while in the mining country in
British Columbia there has grown con-
siderable demand. In fact, there is no
trouble now in getting good prices for
cattle.
Quality has not been lost sight of, and
the grade has constantly been improved.
Shorthorns, HerefOrds and black and
red Polled Angus are in the greatest
favor, together with Galloway. A milk
ing strain of shOrthorns is excellent
where dairying is taken into account, as
well as beef, but where milk is the chief
consideration, Holsteins and Ayrshires
are found sometimes. Usually, however,
the ranchman goes in for beef and moth
ing else.
In the ranges good bulls are set free
BY all the owners, and there has been
noticeable improvement in the herds.
The Canadian Land and Ranch Company
has taken lead in this. At Crane Lake
and Gull Lake, where it has ranches,
there are some highly bred cattle. OF
course, the registered stock is kept in
closed except for the bulls turned out on
the ranges. This company owns some
thirteen thousand head of cattle and
over one hundred thousand acres OF land.
While the ranges are free the cattle
men usually own some land for home
stead and to keep such stock as needs
attention in the winter. Grazing land
can be leased from the government for
two cents an acre per year for term OF
twenty-one years. Leases to cut hay on
unoccupied Dominion land are limited to
forty acres for five years. The fee is 20
cents per acre each year. A lessee OF graz
ing lands may, however, cut such hay as
requires for his own use on making prop
er application.-Tribune Farmer.