The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-12-07
FEEDING CATTLE FOR MARKET.

Reported especially for THE -EGIs.
The Deer Greek Farmers Club was ally
entertained at the residence of Mr.. H. B.
Bruins on Saturday evening. Owing to con-
ditions which could not be controlled. the
attendance of members was not large, but
1t was none the less enthusiastic and enjoy
able.
President John Moorcs and Messrs. w. B.
Hopkins. John b. wysong, u. c. Street,, ].
l.. Mccormick, F. H. Jacobs and John d.
WorthinGton responded to the roll call, and
Messrs. John H. Reckord, Garnett Rade-
baugh, Joseph z. Deckman, Harry Norris,
Joseph A. Harris and G. Smith Norris were
among the guests.
AS Mr.. Brurs' home is not located his
farm, no committee of inspection was APP
pointed. but no account of the meeting
would be just one without some reference
to Mr.. Bruins farm.
Located on the WoolSey pike, about one
and a half miles from the town. its nearly
three hundred acres slope gently to the
southern sun until they reach Bynum's run,
where a fifty-acrc meadow has during the
past five years developed a wonderful growth
of natural green grass and frequently affords
pasture for fifty cattle for months at time.
years, during which its Improvement has
been wonderful; the dwelling is modest and
the other buildings large but mex pensivc, ex-
cept an immense stone silo.
But the well-watered fields, covered with
the best OF grass and dotted over with some
times hundreds of stock. the travellers
wonder and Mr.. Bruins pride. The place has
been thus rapidly improved by heavy graz
ing, liberal application of manure hauled
from the town, and good farming. a valu
able adjunct to the farm is its quarry of fine
building stones. which arc scarce and high in
this section.
The subject of the evening was Feeding
Cattle for Market" The host, Mr.. Bruins,
being a specialist in this line, was requested
to discuss the subject at length in its various
bearings
portant in feeding cattle to start right, and
III my Judgment many of our farmers here
make a mistake. l would advise that cattle
be sufficiently forced to be placed on the mar
ket in late June or August, while prices are
good. grass is still abundant and flies not
yet troublesome; the farmer should then buy
in August. If possible, bunch of cattle to be
pushed through the fall and early winter and
sold on the top January market. In this
way he turns over two lots in the year and
strikes the best market for both lots. The
cattle should be so selected and fed to
be ready tor the market in the shortest pos
sible time; recently placed on the market
1O4 cattle at an advance of 81 200, which
had carried for only two months. and in adj
dition to the direct profit, the fertilizer re-
sulting from feeding them was certainly
worth $3.50 more. Silo is indispeu-
sable requisite of successful feeding; , acres
of good corn seagc will feed 90 cattle for
| months, and their gain, especially with some
bran or cotton seed meal added, will be very
gratifying. L opened my Silo on the Sth of
last month and started bunch of cattle,
and 81 days after, despite some stormy
weather, they have made an average gain of
~ pounds apiece. One of the great advan-
tages of feeding is the fertilizer; l annually
top dress at least 40 acres, and further ad-
vantage to the ground is their tramping,
which packs the soil and holds the grass. and
their cutting old stiff sod with their feet in
| the spring OF the year. / advise that, where
| a man is properly situated to handle them.
| he purchase frst-class cattle weighing at
least ! 900 pounds, and finish them for
| the market season as soon as possible. l
| may add that loss from death among cattle
| is generally light, while last year l lost
| 81 .325 worth OF horses in a single week"
Mr.. John H. Reckord said: My expert
| ence in feeding cattle is slight. Last May l
| bought bunch of cattle from Mr.. Bruins for
| four cents, pastured six months and sold
| 1 thought the profit small but have been
advised that did very we'll
| Mr.. Radebaugh said: Il do not handle
| cattle, but have my stables full of cows.
| give them the best treatment, with full
| balanced ration, and we'll pleased with
| the result. Rich corn ensilage is the founda-
| ton of my feeding, while get the necessary
protein from bran, distiller's grain or cotton
seed meal. At present, ten of my twenty
cows are yielding % gallons OF milk daily,
and the other ten will soon be in profit"
| Mr.. William B. Hopkins said Il have not
| been encouraged with cattle feeding at pres
| ent prices of stockers during recent years. l
| fed last season a bunch sof excellent steers
| which cost4A cents. They ate a large quantity
| OF corn, and got only 434 cents for them last
| summer. 1 do not consider this profitable,
| and it does not compare at all favorably
| with the net revenue receive from herd OF
| cows. Havre de Grace is my ordinary mar
ket for both fat cattle and dairy products -
Mr. r lie no
| experience in regular feeding of cattle
/ through the winter, but from his observa-
| ton he believed that if the stock was bought
| right and well cared for, it would yield fair
| profit"
Mr.. ]. l.. Mccormick said: My expert
| ence in cattle feeding has been limited MY
| attention has been chiefly gwen to dairying.
l have found, however, that if good quality
| of stock is bought. well handled and sold
| early, that the profit is satisfactory. Icon
slider the slo Indispensable in feeding both
cattle and cows. and would not think of do
| ing without it."
| Mr.. John d. Worthington said "When
| feeding cattle, have in view definite market
| and get your stock ready for it. The first
| requisite towards a satisfactory sale is to
| have the cattle fat. which we seldom do
For this reason, unless handling two lots an.
nually. outlined by Mr.. Bruins. would
| advise that about half of ones cattle should
| be we'll fed and prepared for the June or July
| market, thus leaving an abundance of grass
| during the dry months of August and Sep.
| TENDER for the remaining half. We followed
| the gross profit was about the same each
| bunch, it would probably have been far less
| if the whole drove had been kept till October
| and sold with the vast flood of grassers
| which at this time demoralize the market.
| prefer a two-year-od stocker of good quail
ity, weighing $50 pounds, but sometimes the
| most money is made by buying tails because
of their low cost; they will sell all right il
made real fat. Iwould not like to feed with
| out a Silo.'
Mr.. Frank H. Jacobs said: 1--WE handle a
| good many cattle and generally make a fail
| profit; this year / made a dollar a hundred
| advance and put on 425 pounds at my home
| 21a cents and few people would have fed, but
more than doubled the money invested. AT
the present price of corn and hay, l 10 not
| believe we can afford to feed much to cattle
| There Is nothing pays better on farm than
| a little bunch of sheep"
| Mr.. g. Smith Norris advocated feeding of
| half of ones cattle in June and the other hal
| in October. He usually buys small cattle
| winters them on rough provender and fin
| ishes them off with green corn during the
month of October. He has had cattle in.
| crease in weight as much as 500 pounds dur,
| ing the year.
President Moores said II generally buy a
cheap grade of cattle, feed them on straw
! and fodder during the winter and finish them
| with green corn in the fall, ordinarily in
| creasing their weight 525 pounds by the last
of November. 1 always make it rule to
| have plenty of grass-more grass than cattle
| When thus fattened, complaint Is not made
| about quality. Flies are serious drawbaC
| to fattening cattle in the summer; / believe
they cost US 20 per cent. of the possible gain
| and hope some day to see a satisfactory
| remedy against them l have always been
| friendly to cattle feeding and would not
| know how to farm without engaging in this
branch of the business"
| An invitation from the Farmers League o.
| Maryland to attend their annual meeting in
| Baltimore on December 20 was presented tc
| the club. Messrs. Moores and Hon&ns were
| appointed delegates, with the underst anding
| that many members possible would at
| tend. Adjourned.
lF0~ Thin