Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1914-04-15

any moment
essary for feeding the stock which
may be kept on the farm
One Of the greatest drawbacks 10
the cattle industry of the South has
been the presence OF the cattle tick
that transmits Texas fever, which kills
many OF the cattle and stunts others
In growth. The tick 10 rapidly being
eradicated. and II Is only a question OF
time until the South is freed OF this
pest.
The native cattle OF the South are
cold-blooded scrubs carrying a varia
Bile percentage Of Jersey blood. They
are small In size and inferior In quail
ity. but they have stamina and the
cows produce good calves when bred
to a beef bull. Some Of these cows
weighing not over 600 pounds have
given birth to half breed calves which
have developed into 500 to 600-pound
animals at IL to 13 months of age.
They usually weigh about 800 to $50
pounds at two years OF age when
raised under average southern farm
conditions. The half breed calves do
not fatten out as well az calves OF a
higher grade. but II permitted to grow
until two or three years Of age they
finish out as very good beef animals.
The half breed heifers when bred to
beef bulls produce excellent calves.
No section of the country can raise
cattle as cheaply 40 the South. and
the variety and prices OF feeds are
such that the animals can be eco
nomically finished for the market. The
forage plants. especially sorghum and
corn. make such a luxuriant growth In
the southern latitudes that large yields
Of silage can be produced per acre.
The silage Is an excellent feed for
wintering the breeding herd. or for fin.
6hing the animals for the market.
The use OF silage In fattening ration
almost Invariably increases the size
Of the daily gains. cheapens the gains,
lengthens the period during which cat.
tie can be fed cottonseed meal eco
nomically and without danger. and
results In better finish. fatter cattle
and greater pronts per head. The
leguminous hays az alfalfa, cowpea,
lespedeza, red clover and vetch and
the corn stover and oat straw are good
rough feeds TO use In conjunction with
silase.
The Shorthorn. Aberdeen-Angus,
Hereford. Red Polled and Devon
breeds Of cattle all do well In the
South. The shorthorn does well on
all lands where the pastures are good
and feed IL plentiful. The cows usual.
n prove to be very good mixers, Civ.
ing milk enough for the calf and to
supply the home a. we'll. The result
Of the good milking qualities OF the
cows is usually good growthy calf.
The Herefords and Angus are good
grazers and will do well under range
conditions. as well az on the email
farm. The Hereford stands ahead of
all breeds as q range animal, but the
Angus have the advantage over all
breeds In the feed lot. a. they finish
out very smoothly. are high In quality
and kill out high percentage OF mar.
ketable meat. The Devon II slower
OF growth than the other breeds, but
are great rustlers and fatten on pas.
tures which arc 20 thin that some OF
the beef breeds could hardly subsist.
The Red Polled 10 . dual purpose breed
which ranks next TO the milking strain
Of Shorthorns In the production Of
milk and beef. They are not q we'll
known. nor - popular % the Short.
horn. but have done we'll wherever
tried In the south. Any Of the breeds
cross we'll with the native cattle. and
can b used advautageously In breed
ING UP the scrub herds.
BY tie eradication Of the cattle tich.
the use Of GOOD. pursbred best bulls.
the Improvement Of the pasture lands
aa1 . closer stady Of the cattle busl-
nsss. ~ eoutA win develop inte :
great cattle raising section. ana should
eontributs largely to the supply Of
meat IN the neat two decades. IN 10
eass sh0uld hish-psicsd. hish-beoA
stosk - brought fron tiek-esso tesr,-
tosy sntil tAs fArn upoa whieh thsv
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