The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1912-12-14
PROF. RICHARDS
TALKS OF STEER
PROFESSOR OF ANIMAL Hus.
RANDRY AT A. c. TALKS OF THE
RESULTS OF THE lNTERNA-
. TioNAL LIVE STOCK SHOWN.
D. MAN WON A. PRIZE.

Prof w. B. Richards, head of the
department of animal husbandry at
the A. G, writes The Forum a long let
ter discussing the recent international
live stock show, and the lesson that the
winning Of the grand championship
by Manitoba steer. Professor Rich
ards is away on a leave of absence be-
cause Of sickness and is resting at
Eau Claire, Wis. He writes that he
is m 1ch improved in health and hopes
TO be back at his post at the A. C.
Jan. 1.
Mr.. Richards letter to The Forum
is as follows:
l wish to call the attention of the
people of North Dakota and the north.
west to the significance of some things
which occurred at the International
Live Stock show, which took place
last week at Chicago. Every live stock
raiser in the state of any consequence
no doubt has made note of what took
place at this great show. The layman
however in general may not have
given the matter much thought
The fact that the grant champion
ship for the best fat steer of the show
was awarded to a steer shown from
Manitoba and the facts connected with
it have considerable significance to the
farmers Of the northwest, The grand
champion steer Glencarnock Victor
was bred and fitted by j. D. McGregor.
Brandon, Manitoba, and was fed and
fitted for the show on Manitoba hay.
barley, oats and grass exclusively and
without the use of any corn. In fact
1t was claimed by the owner that the
steer had never tasted any corn.
This however was not the only honor
, conferred upon fat cattle from the
northwest at the International this
year The first prize in the two year,
old short~horn, steer class was won by
the steer Harry Lauder that was bred
by w. w. Brown, Armenia, N D., and
owned by him until Oct. Is at which
| time he was bought by an Illinois
party to exhibit at the International
Harry Lauder was shown by Mr.,
Brown at the leading state fairs dur
ing the past fall where he was first
in his class. and he was considered to
be one of the best steers shown at the
International and was one of the
strong competitors Of the Manitoba
steer for grand championship honors
The winnings made by these steers
and those formerly shown by our agri-
cultural college at. this great show in
competition with cattle from the corn
belt and all other parts Of the United
States and Canada, demonstrates that
our conditions must be adapted for the
production of beef cattle. 1t at least
indicates that our feeds are we'll
adapted for the production of a high
quality of flesh in beef cattle.
It is the common belief that it is
| necessary to have the ration composed
largely of corn to produce a. good grade
, of flesh when fattening cattle for the
market. This is not true however and
those versed on the subject of feed
| ing are cognizant of the fact.
The cattle feeders are feeding a
much smaller quantity Of corn in the
ration to their cattle in preparation
for market than they formerly did in
the heavy corn, producing states. for
they have found it is impossible to
produce the quality OF flesh on their
| cattle desired by the market unless
| they supplement corn with other feeds
higher in protein. .. ...
The record made at Chicago by the
| steers from the northwest should as
sist in dispelling the belief that is held
by the farmers Of this state that beef
cattle cannot be produced except
where hard corn can be produced in
abundance. They fail to realize that
corn is only one of the feeds that
should form part of the ration for
| the successful growth and finishing of
| beef cattle for market,
North Dakota will have, no trouble
to produce all the corn necessary to
produce beef cattle successfully pro-
| viding we use some of our oats, barley,
clover and other feeds with II.
w. B. Richards,
Professor of Animal Hushandry
North Dakota Agricultural College