Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-01-23
HANDLING THE
YOUNG STOCK

The number of small and understood
yearllng colts and calves over the
county Is surprising. The general
lack Of size and weight of stock of this
age is about the first impression that
the sale visitor or buyer experiences,
saws the Homestead. Various reasons
may be assigned for this condition.
There are still those who do not real
lie the great Importance of keeping
the young things growlng-ln other
words. to preserve the baby flesh as 1t
is often expressed. The young animal
that Is turned In with herd Of stock
cattle soon after being weaned, where
II must take It's chances with older AMI
mails. is sure to make slow Roadway
Oh the route to an 800 or 900 pound
weight at twelve months.
Then follows perhaps a period Of in
activity. so far us growth is concerned.
Whether this period in the young anil
mails life comes In winter or summer,
there are more or less unfavorable con-
ditions to be encountered. 1t is either
intense cold and hunger or flies and
heat. Just imagine how fit a founda-
ton would be for the support of the
superstructure If. after being put
down. building operations were discon'
tinued for several years. Checking q
young animals growth Is parallel
case. There Is valuable time lost In
getting the animal to the point where
it will yield profit, and. besides, the
thrift and vigor are impaired, which
forever prevents stunted calf or colt
from attaining the best size that 1t is
capable of reaching.
We know that Il great many will
| say that 1t does not pay to feed a
young animal enough grain in addition
to what 1t gathers In the fields to keep
II growing at Its best rate for two or
three years. Possibly there are condi-
tons where in the production of stock
for market it is more profitable to ex'
tend the growing period along over
three or four years, but in growing
stock for breeding purposes the idea
Of stinting the young things at the
| feed box does not bear weight with
any sensible feeder. Were land as
cheap rs the cost of claim deed our
position would be different. but on
grain growing land grain should be fed
In such quantities as will produce
maximum growth and thus hasten the
returns.
1t must not be imagined that good
feeding will make every calf a good
yearllng The proper foundation must
first be secured, or, in other words, the
calfs sire and dam must be animals
that show tendency to make good use
of food. 1t Is general rule that bull
vigorous and well fed will produce bet
ter offspring than one rather underfed
Insure the yearlings good start, then
by using the best sire you can afford
Every man who has handled stock
knows how easy some bulls keep II
flesh. while others need constant pam
| DerlnB 10 no Hull uS Nch' IL ehNiN
were any means OF making an exac'
comparison. we venture to say thai
the ordinary sire would be losing In
vestment every time, even with thu
stock grower of moderate ambitions.
There are enough 900 pound twelve
month-old calves in the country t
show that this attainment Is not al
impossible one There are remark
able number at that age that miss tha
weight by several hundred pounds
There lies great difference In results
The problem Is one worthy of every
stockman's best thought.
Grand Champion Mt Chicago.
The winning of the individual stee
championship at the recent Information
al live stock exposition by a Hereford