The Raymer enterprise., 1913-04-24
PASTURES FOR STOCK
Keeping Of Farm Animals May
Not Be Easiest Problem.
Considerable Amount Of Cattle and
Sheep May Be Kept by Utilizing
All Straw and Supplement.
ing With Alfalfa Hay.

The homesteader in the west will
keep more or less live stock on his
farm with the passing Of the years. He
may not be able to do this at the first.
as he has no fences. II he has but 160
acres and access to no rough or outly-
ing pastures, the keeping Of live stock
may not be the easiest problem. His
trouble is not so much winterins the
stock as carrying 1t through the sum-
mer. On 160 acres Of land the pas
lures will be circumscribed. But.
should the homesteader have 320 acres
OF land, the problem is much simpli-
fed. 1t Is possible for him to grow
pasture on his own farm. On the quar-
ter section farm the difficulty is to
grow enough pasture for pasture in
the dry country does not produce in
quantity as in areas where there is
plenty Of rain, nor can its growth be
stimulated to the same extent as the
growth OF grain crops by the processes
Of cultivation.
Where the homestead is located
near to rough and broken land, the
pasture problem is easy, providing the
owner Of the same Is able to purchase
section or even half section OF
rough land. which never can be titled.
This OF course must be put under
fence, and II the pasture land is d.
yided, the conditions will be thus far
more complete, as the animals may
pasture on one-half the land one sea-
son and on the other half the next.
the pasture will thus have chance to
renew itself. The production
resulting from this method should
never grow less. This, of course.
would not be practicable except III the
case Of homesteads more or less con-
tiguous to such grazing lands. At
least 1t would be less practicable for
those located far away.
Thus conveniently located to pas.
ture grounds, the homesteader on the
quarter section ranch could keep a
considerable amount OF stock whether
Of cattle or sheep. The keeping of
these on his ranch In winter would not
furnish a difficult problem. He could
thus utilize to good advantage all the
straw grown on the farm. This could
be made to supplement alfalfa grown
for hay, and also corn grown for the
fodder that 1t produces. Both OF these
may be grown any season on the dry
land farm. and from both considerable
yields may be obtained. From the for.
mer about one and onehalf tons per
acre and from the latter about two
tons cured.
Where the grazing must be furnished
by the homestead ranch, the problem
Is not so easy. but It is by no means
unsolvable. The number Of animals
kept must be less than where rough
pastures are accessible. Those kept,
however. should be Of high quality
Whether kept for milk or to produce
beef. the calves should come in the
autumn. This will admit Of milking
the cows In winter and allowing them
to be dry In the late summer when
pastures are scarce and dry. When
the animals are grown for beef, It will
make It possible to get them into the
market at the age Of IS months. In
which case they would only be grazed
one season.
The summer pastures on the home
stead ranch could be supplemented by
soiling foods. The food best adapted
for this purpose would be corn. l,
could be so fed both before and after
1t was harvested. This soiling crop
has special adaptation to northwestern
conditions. Farther south kafiir corr
and sorghum OF the sweet variety
would probably answer the purpose
better. :
The ordinary pastures grown on the
ranch would be supplemented by such
pastures as winter rye and volunteer
crops OF grain. The former will prob
ably consist largely Of bronze grass and
alfalfa. The rye pasture will come
good In the late summer and in the
early spring. But to effect this pur
pose It should be kept grazed down
10 that the plants will not at any time
approach the jointing stage. Should
this result follow. the value Of the pas
ture will be greatly reduced. The
plants will become woody. and as q
result they will become more or less
unpalatable. Rye thus sown. say In
June. will furnish large amount oI
grazing. and much Of It Is furnished a,
a time when grazing Is not plentiful