davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11
COST Of BEEF
PRODUCTION

An extensive experiment in beef pro-
duction was recently started at the
Michigan Agricultural college. X. S.
Show of the college staff outlines the
plan in Michigan Farmer. He says:
During the first half of October twen-
ty high grade Shorthorn cows about to
calve were purchased by the institu-
ton. In general these are large franz
ed animals, well graded up with Short
horn blood and as uniform as the re-
stricting conditions Of the experiment
would permit in making the purchases.
These cows have been divided into
two lots of ten each. The calves of n
lot are being permitted to suckle their
dams, but not run with them. As these
calves develop they will receive sup
Elementary food in addition to that Sc
cured from their mothers and will final
ly be finished for market at about
1850 pounds weight. During this time
records viii be made of the amounts of
food consumed by each COW and her
calf, so that the actual cost of the latter
can be determined at any stage of de-
velopment.
The cows Of the other lot are being
MIXED and records made of the amount
Of milk and fat produced by each in
dividual. After the fat Is separated
from this milk the skim milk is brought
back and fed to the calves. In addition,
the calves will receive liberal supplies
of food. Records will also be made of
the food consumed by each cow. the
revenue from her butter fat and the
cost of developing her calf to the mar
ketable weight heretofore mentioned.
1t is also planned to purchase ten
more COWS of the same class to calve
about the opening Of the pasturing sea
son in the spring and allow the calves
to run with their dar.s on grass alone
until dried off and then take the calves
up and finish them to the same weights
as the other two lots, determining the
cost also.
Because of the fact that this expert
ment would seem to touch upon a very
important practical question it has
been planned to repeat the work two
or three years In succession.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11
Care of Brood
Sows In Winter

For early spring pigs select a well
grown SOW pig. preferably eight or
more months old. If you are just ssart-
Ing to raise porkers. says Ii. Tiuclell
In Rural New Yorker. Otherwise | as
sumo you have your best and most
prolific sows on hand. See that she has
at least twelve teats. She should be
hearty and vigorous. as a shy feeder
Is a poor animal TO breed from. Much
is said rs to mating a rather coarse
SOW with a boar finer IN appearance. l
believe in mating the best individuals
and certainly would not discard a SOW
because she showed plenty OF quality.
After mating the SOW should have
more heterogeneous ration than the fat
tening hogs. A few roots. or even
silage, will add bulk and variety To the
feed. Many breeders give a wisp OF
clover hay daily, and il is surprising
how much of this a hog will eat. Keep
her in good condition. but not cverfat.
About fourteen weeks after mating
shift her to the narrowing pen. which
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11

1t is poor economy to let the sheep
live on the frozen grass-if the ground
is free of snow-after winter has set in
and the other thinly clad stock are
safely housed, says E. Van Alstyne in
Rural New Yorker. True, such grass
will I'll them, but there is a great diff
ference between filling and feeding. 1t
will also contribute much to their COM
fort, as well as to the pocket of the
owner. If the dirty wool is clipped
away from about the tail. If the hoofs
have grown long on the ends or sides,
this growth should be pared off with
a good sharp knife. Then keep plenty
Of pure water where the sheep can
have access TO 1t at all times, a box of
salt sprinkled with turpentine to which
they can run. clean, dry bedding to lie
on, with all food removed that has not
been eaten the previous meal.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11
Age of Brood sows.

The length of time that a brood SOW
may be probably kept is determined
by her capacity and power of giving
a regular supply Of milk for her young.
Shortly, Ii may be said that she should
be kept as long as she breeds and milks
well, says American Cultivator. Con-
tinued selection and retention Of the
best young sows for breeding purposes
Is II of the most effective methods of
improving a herd of pigs. The opinion
held by many that pigs from the first
litter of a young SOW are inferior to
those from subsequent filters Is not
well founded. Quite as good pigs can
be obtained from a young SOW, pro-
vided she is well grown before produc-
ing her litter, as from the same SOW at
a later date. The keeping Of sows for
the production Of pigs intended for
sale at an early age Is a system prac-
ticed by many. Coarse boned, heavy
cared, Ill shaped pigs look larger at the
age Of eight weeks than well shaped
ones. Such animals do not, however,
meet the requirements Of the trade and
are therefore not so profitable to the
breeder. Many persons who feed pigs
are Of the opinion that animals which
are plump and nicely shaped at an
early age do not grow to a good size.
No more mistaken view could possibly
be held.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11

There are a few things that n must
get ready for the fock's use In winter.
The first thing to consider Is space,
says Michigan Farmer. Twelve square
feet Is ample room for a breeding eve
In winter quarters. The flock can all
remain together until the lambs begin
to appear. In some cases it is a good
thing to divide the ewes that are about
to lamb from the flock. Sometimes the
flock must be divided into two or more
classes. A good division would be the
main flock, the ewes that evidently
will oon lamb, the ewes already lamb
ed. These divisions may be best made
by use Of panels or by the placing of
the feed racks. Permanent divisions
are not advisable since the areas Of the
spaces will be constantly changing.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11
History Of
The Shropshire

About 100 years ago there were in
southern England a number Of shep-
herds who owned locks which were
rich In Southdown blood, writes a cor
respondent of Shepherds Criterion. but
these sheep were small and sheared a
light fleece, SO their owners desired to
increase the size of both carcass and
fleece. With this object in view they
went to the leading Leicester breed
ers 81 parts Of England lying farther
to the north and selected very choice
rams to cross upon their smaller ewes.
This crossbreeding and improving
were continued for a number of years,
and then the breeders had sheep which
were nearing their ideal-a sheep with
good size, a very dense fleece of me-
dunn length and a first class mutton
carcass. These sheep were being bred
on chalky hills and so were necessarily
very hardy, but were nS bred for such
extreme size as that of the Lincoln,
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11

Leicester and Cotswold, which are ma
tured where feed Is much more plen-
tiful and where the sheep do not have
to rustic to get 1t.
This new sheep was meeting the APP
prevail of many farmers and was con-
sidered to be a happy medium" as it
would be termed nowadays. There
were getting to be so many of these
sheep that it was found necessary to
give them a name. AS they were quite
popular in southern England, especial
~ In Shropshire. 1t was decided to call
them Shropshires, and SO 1t is today.
Improvement was kept up vigorously,
and in the year 1853 Shropshires were
given a classification at the English
Royal agricultural show. A flock book
was established, and the breed was on
a solid footing.
In 1884 a Shropshire record was es-
tablished in Indiana. This association
has grown SO rapidly that now there
are between 5000 and 1000 members,
and it has issued certificates of regis
try for about 215,000 sheep.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11
HANDLING BALkY HORSES.
Kindness and Firmness Needed to
Break Bad Habits.


Break Bad Habits.
Concerning balky horses a CORE
spondent Of Rural New Yorker says:
I have had some experience with al
most all kinds of horses, and a balky
horse 1 find the most provoking l
have ever had i'm my possession.
Horses are so different in disposition
that ii takes a good horseman to un-
derstand just how TO handle each ami
NAL In my experience / find that the
balky horse has been spoiled by a
poor driver or by some one who did
not understand how to handle that
kind of animal, which is usually of a
contrary nature. Like ONE men, they
want their own way or no way at all.
l find it best to study the disposition
of the horse, and if l see that he Is a
naturally contrary animal / try all the
kindness possible and never lose my
own temper. A good sound thrashing
will do sometimes. but with a natural
ly contrary horse | seldom use a whip,
only to straighten him up, and then
more in the stable than when he is
hitched.
When you want him to stand over,
tell him so with a firm Get over;" not
a yell, but so he will know what
you mean, or to back up in the stall.
Use him firmly $ 10 he will know that
you mean what you say. and do not
say too much. | use a good blacksnake
whip because / can handle ii the best.
If | cannot make him do what /
want him to after several days train
ing. | take him on a good sod field
plenty of room-tie up his left front
foot firmly with a good strap so that
the foot is up to the body; then / put
a good strap on the right foot just
above the hoof and over his back; then
| take a firm hold of the strap with the
right hand and at the bit with the left
hand, and | tell him to get up, and as
he does so | pull up the foot; down he
goes on both knees. Then is your time
to stay by him. Don't let go. He will
go down on his side if you stay by
him long enough. Then get on his head
quick and keep him there till he will
lie quiet. Let him up; put him down
again till you are sure he Is under
your control; then If you hitch him
put no load behind him and put him
with q good, true horse so he will
learn how to go, but do not use the
whip if possible, and In time with
good firm usage you have a good horse.
The man who tries to break a balky
horse would better break himself Of
losing his temper and gather up all the
horse sense that be can find in his top
knot, then be determined to break the
horse or break himself of his bad hab-
IT'S If it takes him a year.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11

The weight Of a ram is not a very
sure guide as to his real worth. writes
a correspondent of Rural New Yorker.
| have seen many good sires so fat as
to be almost worthless. A mature
sheep in good stock condition should
weigh from 175 to $50 pounds. He
should have good, strong, not very
heavy legs; be square on the rump and
shoulders, with a good breast, a head
not over large, a bright eye and, above
all. be active. A little oats and linseed
meal fed daily to him during the time
he Is In service will improve both him
and his offspring.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11
TROUBLESOME SoWs.
Hsw to Handle the Breachy and VII
ciOus Animals.

HAw TO Handle he and Vi
cious Animals.
When q sow becomes in~corrigible
usually the wisest course is to fatten
and send her to market, writes X. L..
Dean in National Stockman. The tend
ency is for the rest of the aero to con
tract the same habits. But it is often
the case that the troublesome SOW Is
the most prolific and the best mother
Of the bunch. Her unusual vitality
exerts itself in mischief as well as the
rearing of offspring. The troublesome
sow usually lives better than the rest,
for she has her share, and she gets as
much more as she can. 1t is thought
to be a waste of time to attempt to
curb a vicious sow However, there
are occasions when we very much
wan TO do so.
The breachy SOW at the first may be
tanned by keeping her for a time in a
strong Enclosure until she loses her
courage, so to speak. Every hog raiser
should have a yard or building especial
ly adapted for this purpose and from
which no animal can possibly escape.
This habit if taken in time can be over
come in this way: If the habit is fixed
draw her ears down close over her
eyes and fasten together with wires.
Use a piece of leather or rubber If the
ears are erect and cannot be overlap
ped when drawn down over the eyes
and attach the same with wire as be-
fore. The purpose is to exclude as
much light as possible. This device
will be a hindrance to the chicken
chaser. If you have a SOW so vicious
In forcing Enclosures and eating chick
ems as to be past redemption in the
ordinary sense try this: Fasten her
ears over the eyes as described, then
wire a light ring three inches in diam
eter firmly to her snout. This is a
drastic measure and should not be
used except in extreme cases. If prop
erly done she will not eat chickens or
scale fences, and her meekness of de-
meanor will be remarkable.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11

PAIR or YOUNG BERKSHIRE SoWS.
should be roomy, dry aud warm. This
pen should be provided with a railing
or fender around the sides. A > by 6
scantling spiked securely to fixed blocks
six inches high makes a good railing
and may save a good pig from being
lain on. The little fellows learn to
snuggle under these tenders and keep
out of danger. Some breeders advocate
bedding heavily, claiming the SOW will
lie away from the pigs and not make a
nest, as when she is scrimped for bed
ding. However, we always bed spar
ingly with chaff or the sweepings from
the hay barn. We keep the pen dry
and clean. A damp pen is responsible
for many losses.
1t is advisable to watch a young SOW
with her first litter and be on hand to
render assistance if needed. If a SOW
has successfully raised one litter we
let nature take its course. A covered
pail of hot ashes will elevate the tenn
perature of a hogpen IN a bitter Feb
ruary or March night. After the little
pigs have sucked once they seldom get
chilled. Feed sparingly for the first
three days, then gradually increase to
the capacity of the SOW IL the litter Is
large.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11
FEEDING H O

When you wean the colt give him
plenty OF oats, and he will go through
all right, but no other grain will take
the place of oats.
Fattening Hogs ON Cottonseed Meal.
In fattening hogs on ~cottonseed meal,
says Farm and Ranch. don't add any
wheat bran, but corr chops will be alb
solutely necessary. The wheat bran is
too filing in its effect and not rich
enough in n%ourishing material for fat
tening hogs. Use one part Of cotton
seed meal to four parts of corn chops,
well soured, and give as a thin slop.
wheat Bran Good For FoaIs.
Bran Is very suitable as a supple
mentary concentrated food for weaned
foals and young horses, says Farm
Progress. There Is nothing better than
a little bran for mixing with the crush
ell oats when foals are being brought
on to solid food, bran being easily di-
gested by a foal when the latter Is able
to deal with solid food. In the case of
sick horses and those that are conva-
lescent the inclusion of some bran In
their diet proves very beneficial. On
account of its palatability bran tempts
the appetite of sick horses more easily
than other dry foods.
Ration For the Horse.
From ten to twelve pounds of oats,
divided into three feeds. should be sufi-
Gent concentrates for the carriage horse
for one days feeding, says Farm Jour
nal. From ten to twelve pounds Of hay
should be allowed In order TO bring the
total weight Of the ration within the
limit of twenty 10 twenty-five pounds.
Bran mashes, fed once or twice a week,
have a cooling effect upon the system.
Part of the hay may be cut and mois-
tened before feeding, the remainder be-
ing fed long, as the carriage horse has
plenty of time for m~asticating his food.
Roughage For Horses.
Fodder corn. thickly grown, SO that
only small nubblns form, and cured so
there is no dust, Is one of the best
kinds Of roughage for horse feeding.
For stations, idle horses, brood mares
and growing colts corn forage Of good
quality, cured right, Is n Of the very
best and most economical substitutes
for timothy hay.-Farm Journal.
Feed For Tattening Lambs.
Dry cor gives better results than
soaked corr for sheep, owing to the
better secretion Of saliva In eating the
dry grain. Oats prove a satisfactory
ration when given to fattening lambs,
but 1t requires about Is per cent more
oats than corn for a given gain. 1t
requires about twice as much corn, as
bran for lambs. Roots should be fed
IN combination with grain. A ration
Of equal parts corn and oats or two
parts oats to n Of corn, fed with
roots. Is an economical ration for fat
tsning lambs.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11
rruth About Norman..

The use of the word Norpan as APP
piled to the draft horse has been CON-
mon in the United States for owe half
q century. This is due largely to the
fact that early importers gave that
name to draft horses brought over
from Normandy, France. However,
there is no such breed in France, and
the use OF the word is incorrect. The
Percheron is a distinct breed and is
so regarded by the French government
and is protected by the government
and a stud book association. There are
several other distinct draft breeds in
France, as the Boulonnais, Breton, Pr
cardy and : iton, but there is no Nor
man breed. Most of the horses brought
to America from France of the draft
sort are Percherons, but they are very
often carelessly referred to as Nor
mans or observation-disclosures Horses
Of the draft sort that are from France,
but are not Percherons, may be regis
tered in the French draft stud book of
this country, but not in the Percheron
stud book.-Professor Plumb, Ohio Sta
ton.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11
FATTENlNG STEERS.
Value Of Alfalfa and Corns.alks ~
Rough Feed.

Rough Feed.
A bulletin recently issued by the Ne
braska experiment station gives the
details of a feeding experiment with
two-year-old range steers, the results
of which show very clearly that the
character OF roughness supplied in con-
nection with corn is u very important
factor in the economical production Of
beef. Six lots of steers, with ten in
each lot. were fed experimentally for a
period of six months.
Without entering into the details OF
the test with t~wo-year-olds, as reported,
the conclusions are tersely stated in
the bulletin as follows:
With present prices for both corn and
beef greater consideration must be Civ
en- TO the character and quantity of
rouGhness fed in connection with corn
to fattening cattle.
That alfalfa hay is pronouncedly SUI
perior TO prairie hay for beef produc-
ton and that the more rapid the ex-
tension of the area of the land devoted
to the production of alfalfa. s%upplant-
ing the less valuable and lower yield
ing native hay. the more rapid win be
the production of wealth from II soil.
That native prairie hay. If for any
reason 1t is most available for feeding
purposes, should not be fed with corn
alone, but rather with corn supplement-
ed with q small quantity Of some pro-
TEN food. such as oilmeal, cottonseed
meal or gluten meal. to give more near
ly a balance of nutrients In keeping
with animal requirements.
That c%ornstalks cut Immediately aft
er the ears ripen possess a food value
which cannot consistently be ignored
by the farmer and that existing land
values warrant the larger utilization Of
this r%oughness by the adoption Of
methods of harvesting that will make
such material more valuable for feed
ing purposes.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11

Raw eggs afford a very nourishing,
cooling and easily digested feed for
stations when doing a large business
In the stud. A half dozen may be bro
ken and Stirred into the grain ration
night and morning to great advantage
In many cases. The grain ration may
be somewhat diminished when eggs are
fed. Such d ration adds somewhat to
the expense Or cost Of keep. but a
single additional foal will more than
pay cost of all the eggs that any stall
lion win require during the entire yea
sou.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11
THE VETERINARY

Tail rot does not kill pigs, but may
knock several dollars off the market
price of a high bred, fancy hog, says
Farm Progress. This disease is gener-
ally caused by damp or foul bedding
and is found usually among the first
filters that come. The first thing no
tlced is that when the pigs are four or
FIVE days old their tails begin to crack
open in places. Ii neglected these
cracks will soon enclrcle the tail. 1t Is
then too late for a remedy, but II the
disease is treated In time the tail can
be saved. Take warm soft water and
CASTLE soap: battle the tail well and APP
ply olive oil. Repeat twice daily for
several days, and the trouble will dis
appear.
Worms In Hogs.
Hogs affected with worms In the in
t~estines run down In condition, become
very thin and lank, back Is arched,
Y G dull, refuse feed, walk stiffly and
appear lifeless. The worms may be
very numerous. In bad cases completely
filing the intestlnes. The pigs die IL
not treated. To secure the best results
affected hogs should receive individual
treatment. Twenty-four hours before
administering treatment very little
feed should be given them. Then give
the following medicine as a drench to
each hundred pound hog; larger or
smaller hogs should receive a dose In
proportion. Oil OF ~turpentine, four
drains; liquor ferri d%ialysatus, one-half
dram; raw linseed oil, six ounces. III
necessary repeat the dose in four days.
After worms have been removed give a
tonic to put the pigs In condition.
Farm Journal.
Scratches In Horse.
First procure some thermofuge. At
night wash the limb with water as hot
as the hand viii bear and make quite
dry with a cloth, then apply a thick
paste OF the thernofuge and put on a
hight bandage over IL. Take off in the
morning and wash off. Then use a lit
tie carbolized raw lInseed oil on 1t.
Continue until a good healing Is made.
Feed largely on wheat bran mashes
and give daily exercise.-National
Htockman.
strangIes or Distemper.
Comfortable quarters, good care.
plenty fresh water. moderate feed Of
easily digested. nutritious food; I bills
ter to the throat IL necessary and little
tonic. ~ nux vomica. esntian, etc, e
appetite h bad--Tarm and Ranch.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11
sheen Notes.

1t is not a question Of how much a
ram costs as how much profit he re
turns.
Don't house your sheep too closely;
let the mission of the barn be shelter
rather than warmth.
Give the ewes grain simply as a
luxury. High grain feeding is unfa-
vorable to a big lamb crop.
Sheep no more like to eat out of
sour, dirty troughs than the shepherds
like to eat off dirty dishes.
Although the ram may be gentle, 1t
is better that he be kept away from
the pregnant ewes. A blow of his head
may mean the loss of n or more
lambs.-American Sheep Breeder.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-01-11
o Painters.

The hog is a thrifty animal when fed
ON the dairy wastes with a little grain
added.
Unless a sow is unusually well fed,
she VIII hardly come in heat while
sucking her pigs.
Usually the hog will thrive best that
will squeal for his feed at the regular
feeding times.
The thrift and condition OF the moth
err determine to a great extent what
the pig will be.
Beauty in form and appearance is
not a safe indication Of the value of a
SOW as a breeder.
The quality Of a sow's pigs when she
Is old determines when her days of
usefulness are over.