The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-06-27
SOUTHERN FARMERS
ARE ADVISED AGAINST
SELLING Off OF COWS
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE GIVES REA-
SON FOR ADVICE.
WESIfRhERs VISIT The SOUTH
Soils Increased in Fertility by Past
uring and the Progeny of the Herd
Grows More Rapidly and Make
Better Beef

Better Beef.
During the past twelve months cal
tie buyers have been active in Louis
lana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia,
Florida and Tennessee, purchasing
cattle to be shipped to the Middle
Western markets as either Gamers
or stockers. The prices paid for cam
ners during this period have been
SO high that thousands of cows and
heifers have gone to the shambles
which should have been retained on
the farms for breeding purposes.
This is especially noticeable when
the receipts of southern cattle at the
ST. Louis market for the last twelve
months are compal ed with those for
any previous period of similar
length. The receipts of Alabama,
Mississippi, and Louisiana cattle at
that market have almost doubled
during this period.
Since the first of February buyers
from the farms and ranches of the
West have been securing the
F, in search of breeding stock A few
years ago this class of cattle " :
have been scorned by the Western
ranchman as breeding stock, but
with the shortage of COWS for breed
| ing purposes the ranchers are glad
! to get these cheap cows, to which
they will breed good beef bulls. The
half-breeds resulting from this mat
ing make fairly desirable beef ami
mails
Recently there were perhaps more
cattle unloaded at one time in Bir-
mingham, Ala, for feed, water, and
rest while en- route to the western
ranges than have ever been seer in
that place before in one day Geor-
gia and Florida are sending out
thousands of these native southern
cattle at the present time at prices
ranging from SIS to $23 head for
mature animals. shipment of 40
carloads of cattle was recently made
from Osceola, county, Florida, in one
] day. They were shipped to Kansas
j via Oklahoma City The cattle were
dipped in arsenical solution before
loading, to free them of ticks, and
were to be dipped again on arriva
at Oklahoma City before going above
the Federal quarantine line.
Some people of the South seem
glad that these cattle are being ship
ped out, as the number of scrub cat
tie is being reduced and the South
will get better cattle as a result. They
do not look far enough ahead, how
ever, or they would see that il the
shortage of cattle is such as to cause
buyers to come from the far Yves
to buy these scrub cattle for breed
ing purposes, the chances of south
ern farmers refilling their pasture
with good cattle are indeed small
for where are these good breeding
cattle to come from at a reasonable
price The best and most profitable
way of getting good cattle through
out the South is to breed up the ma
tive cattle by the use of purebret
bulls, and by castrating ali scru'
bulls at an early age.
The farmers of the South are there
fore urged to discontinue this whole
sale shipping of their female cattl
to other States, to free the pasture
of the cattle tick, and to increase tn
number and quality of their cattl
by the use of purebred beef bulls
The progeny will not only grow fast
er and make larger and better ca
tie, but will be far more profitable t,
raise and to feed than are the ma
tives. The soils will be increased II
fertility by the manure, which give
such profitable returns when applie'
to the cotton crop and puts vegetahl
mater into the SOIL The amount o
commercial fertilizers necessary +
produce crop will be reduced and
more bountiful yield will be prc
duced.
Literature regarding methods Q
feeding cattle in the South and ere
dicating the cattel ticks may be oil
tanned from the Bureau of Anima
Industry, Department of Agriculture
Washington, D. c. Southern farm
ers are also advised to consult tn
!, Departments county farm demon
: stration agents.