Mexico weekly ledger., 1905-01-12
The Quest for Quality ofstock.


| Shippers, breeders and farmers
throughout the entire country have
been interested In The Gazette's re-
Gently published interviews with lead
ing buyers of live stock at the Chicago
yards. The views Of such men as
Matheson, Pratt, Pfaelzer, Cooper,
Egan and Others, as expressed In these
columns In recent issues, have been Of
marked significance. 1t Is to be noted
that without exception these arbiters
Of values sound the same note Of warn
ing and advice. This one scarce ar
ticle in every market is quality
when in run Of from $4,000 to
10000 CATTLE" says Edward Pagan,
"but 5000 to 1900 are Of good quality
IL is evident there is something
wroDg.''
Quality In butchers stock depends
upon two things so far as corn-bslt
Matchmaking is con ed-g God
blood and cheap corn The farmers
Of the great agricultural states use
too little OF the former and in recent
years have been favored with any
great surplus Of the latter. The grain
yield is something that can not be
easily controlled, although science
can do much toward helping the corn
grower to combat unfavorable condi-
tions. More care In the selection and
curing Of seed will result in more vig-
orous plants, capable Of withstanding
more grief than those that spring
from grain OF impaired ''constltu-
tion." Much may also be done along
the line of breeding varieties that
will come to maturity earlier and thus
escape the blight which will fall this
year upon thousands OF acres OF unripe
grain in case of early frosts. Good
blood, however, which must always
precede liberal feeding In the quest
for quality, is always available. There
is little excuse therefore for the lack
Of quality so generally to be found
even In the agricultural states. 1t
seems increditable that 50 many good
farms should barber so many inferior
animals. 1t seems amazing that the
good farmers OF the corn-belt do not
use more well-bred sires Their hogs
are generally bred up to a high STAN
dard. In horses they are too prone to
patronize light-legged, rather than
heav, draft stations, and sheep OF a
good type are not so numerous as they
should be, but II is when we come to
cattle that quality seems leastof all in
evidence.
Men who have corn to feed can no
longer buy good grade Of young
steers from corn-belt farmers. The
good bullocks for which Ohio, Ken
lucky, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and
Missouri farmers were once So famous
have to a great extent disappeared.
Branded cattle from the range fill the
feed-lots; and to the credit OF the en-
terprising ranchmen Of Texas and else
where let it be said that they have so
elevated the standard Of their cattle
by the free use OF good bulls that the
supply from that quarter is not only
large, but good. 1t does not follow,
however, that 1t is no longer protita-
Bile to grow good calves In the farming
states.
Cattle-feeding as now carried on In
the middle west has IN II too much OF
the speculative feature. Men who use
both cash and credit TO fill their feed
lots and corncribs are more or less at
the mercy of fluctuating markets.
Any sudden slump In value spells dis
aster to those who are playing the
markets on borrowed money. The
farmer who has grown his own caves
and owns corn OF his own production
is certainly In far stronger position.
He will make more money some years
than others, but he can certainly
weather markets that may force his
speculative brother to the wall. Good
bulls are just now within the reach OF
all. This is period, therefore, when
thousands OF cord-belt farmers ought
to begin grading up once more the
quality OF their cattle. The first cross OF
the pure-bred bull has usually worked
wonders upon native stock. Bulls for
this purpose can be bought this fall at
prices to fit almost any purse. The
Gazette trusts, therefore, that advan-
tage will be taken OF the present lull
lin speculation in pure-bred cattle BY
Ian who need good blood In their herds.
| In the entire history Of the cattle
trade ln the middle West there has
never been a time when good bulls
we're more needed and there has never
been time when they could be bought
upon more reasonable terms than now.
well-bred animals, given reasonable
care, can be prohtably grown upon
every grass and grain farm In Amer
lica.