The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08
VIRGINIA live STOCK,
AND ITS IMPROVEMENT.
Conditions That Call for Retirement,
and Things That Can Be
Improved.
COLLEGE HERD OBJECT LESSON
Professor liutcheson, Speaking for
Polytechnic Institute and Public
Interest, Calls for Reform-Vir-
ginia'S Big Asset Is Cattle.

Sihit Dig ASSET Is Suttl6.
Prof. ]. r. Hutchinson, of the Virginia
Polytechnic Institute. writes the In
dustrial Section stirring article on
the live stock proposition. and this is
truly IL 1.-Two subject for the considera-
ton Of Virginians and North Garolin-
ians. Prof. Hutchinson says:
1t has long been recognized by all
thinking farmers and others Interested
in agriculture. that one of the best and
most economical ways of keeping up
large part of the grain and roughage
grown on tho farm to live stock and
putting the manure back on the land.
If this grain and roughase is fed to
good. improved types of live stock 1t
has been proven time and time again
that the farmer will reap double ben
eft. He will not only keep up the fer
tility of his soil, but will get a high
price for the grain and roughage con-
sumed In this way. Notwithstanding
this fact, the majority of the farmers
in Virginia keep very few cattle, and
most of these are OF an inferior type
have lately taken n rough census
OF the number of beer and dairy cattle
in the State of Virginia, and find that
In several counties there is not a single
pure bred or dairy bull. In these conn
ties most OF the farmers keep Il fairly
good number of cows but pay no at
tention whatever TO their improve
ment. This is the reason we havo a
type of COWS in Virginia which give on
an average less than one gallon or
milk per day. This is the reason we
buy beef from the West This is the
reason that we import 10000 900 pounds
of butter annually into the State Rec
ognizing that this condition of affairs
exists and that 1t can be remedied, the
Virginia Polytechnic Institute has set
about to apply the remedy 1t has
been learned ut the Experiment Sta
ton and college that the quickest i'm
proHement of live stock may BIO brought
about by exercising care in breeding
feeding and wedding. Ry these three
things the efficiency of the W p l. col
lege herd has been nearly doubled
within the last few years Last wear
six COWS In this herd produced over
700 pounds Of butter each. and one of
these COWS produced over LOO pounds
of butter
MANY GOOD THINGS
THAT ARE IN REACH
These large records are not out of
the reach of the average dairyman if
he VIII use the same caro- In breeding
ana feeding the good cows and weed
ing out the poor ones. The V. F. l.
Is ready and willing to help any live
stock raiser in the State to improve
his stock. The college his this year
put in department of extension In
agriculture and has taken over the
farm demonstration work. With these
two departments working out among
the farmers, we hope to make Vir-
ginia the greatest live stock State in
the country. Already, some good work
has been done along this line. Com:
| munity Breeding" and Cow TESTING
l n g nrtn fN.,g lao.
eral sections of the State, and n pure
| bred sire league will soon be started
at V. u. I.
In the Community Breeding" asso-
citation, all of the cattle raisers in the
community agree to grow the same
breed OF beef or dairy cattle and TO
use nothing but pure bred registered
sires. Where this community breeding
is carried on successfully the farmers
learn the value of co-opera ton, tho
community becomes noted for Ger
tain breed of live stock, the value OF
pure bred sires is better appreciated
and the farmers make more money out
of the live stock business.
BOOKKEEPING IS ESSENTIAL.
IN DAIRY BUSINESS
In the Cow Testing" associations.
the farmers agree to keep records OF
the amount of milk ana butter fat pro-
duced by each cow and the cost or her
feed. In this way the farmer can tell
which OF his cows are making him Il
profit and which are being kept at Il
loss. II has been estimated that one
half Of the cows in Virginia do not pay
for their board. The dairyman cannot
AFFORD TO keep cows of this type, and
the only way to find out what his COWS
are doing Is by keeping accurate rec
,~ords. These records can be kept with
very little trouble. 1t has been estl-
mated that the. time required for the
eighfng and setting down the weight
of each cows milk Is less than one-half
minute per COW. BY Keeping these rec
crds. some of our farmers have found
that one-third of their cows were not
paying for their board. This often
means the difference between success
and failure In tho dairy business.
These Community Breeding" and
Cow Testing" associations were start
cd In Denmark about thirty years ago.
The cattle In that country were OF n
very Inferior type at that time ana
produced less than 1900 pounds OF milk
per COW per year. AT the present time
as result of tho work of these asso-
Citations. the average COW In Denmark
gives about 1000 pounds OF milk per
year.
These associations mean better
breeding, feeding and care of our live
stock and consequently n better type
wherever cattle are kept for profit,
that associations of this kind be
formed. ] shall be glad to help the
farmers In any community in the
State TO get organized along these lines.
Also, | shall be glad to assist In the
building OF silos and better barns.