Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-05-07
ITEMS OF INTEREST ToFARMER AND FEEDER

Corn alone, when fed to hogs. Is an
expensive feed. 1t costs $6.45 to pro-
duce 100 pounds of pork If corn Is
worth So cents bushel To obtain the
best gains at the lowest cost 1t is
necessary to feed some protein supple
ment, such as shorts or tankage, with
corn. When these supplements are
added to the ration and the hogs al
lowed to run on pasture 1t costs only
$4.10 to produce 100 pounds gain. Corn,
shorts and tankage, without the pas
ture, produce gain of 100 pounds at
a cost OF $4.70
The Kansas Agricultural college re-
Gently made thorough report Of if
teen experiments conducted during the
last ten years. In these experiments
900 hogs, all bred and reared by the
animal husbandry department, were
used. In all feeding trials the number
Of hogs was large enough to overcome
Individual differences.
A comparison Of wet and dry mix
lures OF corn, shorts and tankage
showed an average daily gain Of 1876
pounds a head for tho dry ration and
2.31 pounds 4 head for tho wet ration.
1.-The amount Of feed in both cases was
the same, but in the one case enough
water was added to make thick slop.
Different brands of stock foods fed
with corn showed an average daily
gain Of only 10 pounds as compared
with 1857 pounds daily gain made with
corn, shorts, and meat meal or tank
age.
Kaffir meal was found to be equal in
fattening value to corn. Sorghum seed
was found to give smaller daily gain
than either kaffir or corn meal. In sew
eral trials where corn was supplement-
ed with meat meal or tankage corn re-
turned value of 80 cents a bushel.
When shorts was added to this ration a
value of $1.07 bushcl was obtained
for the corn. In both cases pork was
valued at 81 for 100 pounds.
A typical American draft horses is
being developed at Ames, Ia, by the
United States government. Uncle Sam
has come to the aid Of the farmers.
manufacturers and merchants who are
spending millions Of dollars abroad
every year to keep up the strain Of i'm
ported draft horses, such as Pc"cherons
and Belgians. 1t is believed that under
a proper system Of breeding type Of
gray draft horses can be developed
which will be American in cvery sense
Of the word and which will thrive un-
der conditions In this country as no
imported breed will do.
This important experiment, which
means the saving of untold millions to
stock users in this country II 1t is sue
cessful, is being carried on at the Iowa
State Agricultural College. Dean c. f.
Curtiss having local charge OF the
work Director George M. Rommel, Of
the bureau Of animal industry, which
branch of the department OF agricul-
ture is conducting similar experiments
looking to the development of other
tvpes Of animals in various parts OF
the country, has general supervision
of the draft horse experiment.
There are about twenty animals at
the Iowa experiment station. 1t has
been determined that the gray draft
horse Is the best type to develop. Three
of the highest grade draft stations
have been secured and their progeny is
watched very closely. and only the
more promising colts are kept, the
others being sold off. Iowa was selected
as the location for t.lis work because 1t
has been proved that raising of draft
horses can be best accomplished in that
state and Illinois, owing to general
combination Of favorable conditions.
The draft horses can not be successful
ly developed In mountainous or hilly
country. Furthermore, this type OF
horse will deteriorate rapidly IN any
but a temperate climate. Experiments
be complete failures in cold climates
and in the tropics.
The draft horse business IN this
country .:as suffered through the ig-
norance Of breeders and the natural
deteriora ton Of imported stock. In
their desire to raise equine giants,
breeders have sacrificed style and con-
formty. Nonstrosities, and not horses,
have been produced-draft horses with
cfc ~ m, O
SWAY backs. Millions of dollars have
been wasted in producing inferior stock
to say nothing Of the millions which
must be spent every year In France
and Belgium to keep up the strain of
the more popular breeds Of draft
horses. In common with all imported
stock. Percherons and Belgians will
soon run OUT so far as the strain Is
concerned, when taken from their ma :
tural surroundings. That is one reason
why the government has taken up this
experiment--to develop, il possible,
native type Of hose which will grow
better, instead Of deteriorating, under
the natural conditions in this country.
That is why the government Is con-
Quoting similar experiment with
carriage horses at Fort Collins. Colo,
and with the Morgan horse in Vermont,
and with sheep at Laramie, Wyo.
ment farm are a delight to tho expert
in horse breeding. They are Of the large
type, yet active and intelligent. They
are Of the strong bodied, short backed,
wide chested type that spells perfec-
ton. Their limbs are as flat and clean
cut as the legs of thoroughbred. To
see these horses at work in the fields
about the experiment farm will gain
intellectually In efficiency when proper
attention Is paid to the breeding Of its
working stock.
Shortage in Argentina Cattle.
Only 1000 quarters Of beef were
loaded at Buenos Aires for New York
this week the equivalent Of 1,750 cattle,
and little competition Is expected from
that source during the summer months.
Advices from South America are indi-
cative of anything but cattle plenti-
tude. Argentina has lost approximately
/. 10000 calves owing to foot-and-
mouth disease and stock cattle are
being imported from Paraguay to re-
stock empty estanchias.
In Paraguay and Uruguay cattle
values have advanced so rapidly that
siaughtering IS being carried on regard.
less Of age or sex, decimating breeding
stock AT Rosario last week $171 per
head in Argentina money was paid for
com +,,n and thraa- year-Old steera pf7