The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-03-06
BABY BEEF INDusTRY-souND
ADVICE
Oklawaha, Fla, Feb. q, 1914

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siyely used and could be obtained at
such fair prices until in recent years
that it occupies a very important
place in our national dietary. The
continued and rapid increase in pric-
es threatens to make its use in many
homes prohibitive. and naturally
there is CONSERVATION on the part OF
the housewife. The farmer is also
somewhat nonplussed by the situa-
ton which has recently arisen, and
especially is this true of the southern
farmer, where comparatively little at
tention has been given to the pro-
duction of beef because of the general
belief that other crops could be grown
to better advantage.
While the ranches of the west were
in their hey-day, there was probably
some truth in this statement, but
with present prices for beef and the
constant deterioration of the natural
range a new situation confronts the
south, and it is now obvious of all
clear thinking men that this section
of the country must in the future
raise not only enough beef for home
use, but a surplus for national use as
well.
The question naturally arises:
How can the southern farmer en-
gage in beef production most econom-
ically and secure the largest returns
in the shortest period of time a"
The answer to this question will be
found in the production of baby beef,
by which is meant the placing on the
market of animals weighing 1000
pounds and upward by the time they
are twenty-four months of age. To do
this 1t will be necessary to secure the
best grade of native cows possible.
Those which show a preponderance
of beef blood should be selected, as
the progeny will lay on flesh and fat
more rapidly and kill out to better
advantage than those departing rad
ically from the beef type. Choice
sires from the most prepotent beef
breeds should be selected for mating
with these native COWS.
This will insure the greatest uni
formity in color, size and quality of
beef obtainable in a short period of
time. The heifer calves from these
crosses should be kept for breeding
purposes, and the undesirable dams
sold as fast as they can be finished
as baby beef To do this most eco
nomically they should be allowed to
suckle the dams, and it will be an adj
vantage if they are dropped in the
late winter or early spring. This
gives them an opportunity to go out
and Craze with the dams. and at
weaving time they have learned to
eat and gather their own food so that
they will continue to grow and gain
uniformly without any material set
back at weaving time. Moreover, it
is the cheapest policy to handle them
in this way.
IL they are placed on good native
pastures, free from ticks, such as can
he used and may be had with but lit
tie effort in practically all parts of
the south, these calves will grow uni
| formly through the summer and fall.
They should be wintered on silage
or cereal pastures, with little cotton
seed meal. Shelters to protect them
from rain are advisable, but need not
be expensive. Two pounds of cotton
seed meal will be a sufficient amount
of grain to feed, and little straw or
corn slower will be found helpful in
addition TO the silage. In the spring
when they can go on grass again
they will continue to gain uniformly
and by the next November should
weigh from COO to 500 pounds, depend
ing on the character of sire and dam
from which they originated, and the
care which has been accorded them.
Placed on feed November 18th to De-
cember LIST, they should be furnished
ration OF cotton seed meal and ST
lage, about a four months feeding
period. At that time they should be
made to weight 1000 to 1900 pounds
Most of them will age about the first
of April, or not weigh more than the
first figures mentioned, but they will
represent a type of beef quite supe-
rior in many respects to most of that
offered for sale today. The flesh will
be more desirable because Of the bet.
ter admixture of fat and lean. 1t will
be tender and choice in quality and
they will slaughter to the best advan.
tage.
Where this method Of practice is
followed the farmer has one or more