The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-01-22

OF wheat 1t would require seventeen
bushels at soc to return as large a net
profit from the same acre.
The hog will also give excellent
results on pasture. Experiments as
developed would indicate that an acre
OF rape pasture is worth approximate
~ $500 pounds Of corn when fed to
hogs. The return in pork is practic-
ally the same. Alfalfa, pasture, clo-
Yer, and rape all give most excellent
results, the returns varying from $40
10 $50 per acre, with pork at &C. Re-
cent trials in Iowa report that the
cost Of 100 pounds gain in young pigs
with corn at soc a bushel ranged
clover pasture. The acre of pasture
under these conditions produces SIS
pounds on timothy pasture, to 1,43G
pounds per acre on rape.
These figures deal with farm stock
under average farm conditions. They
are applicable to many sections OF
the state and will illustrate the pos
sibilities of indirect profits which may
accrue to the farmer through live.
stock. The grass or pasture crops are
produced at a comparatively small
cost Of labor. The cost of fencing and
the interest on the land represent a
large proportion of the charges
against this form Of feed. In the in
stances cited, the acre Of grass was
marketed at about $3.50 per acre, suf-
f1clent to pay a return on the money
investment and the labor involved
while the profits secured from the ami
rna product were much greater than
ould be obtained through the ordi-
nary yields of grain that can be OBJ
tanned.
Use of %Roughaee.
The r~oughages produced on the
farm, fodder, hay and ensilage, have
nigh feeding values when compared to
the market prices of grain and mill
feeds. These values can only be Sc
cured to the farmer through live
stock. Silage, for example, is one of
the most profitable crops produced on
the farm when the full feeding value
is obtained from it. An acre of good
ensllage has a feeding value of prac-
tlcally $50 when bran is worth $50 n
ton. When the feeding value named
can be obtained, and it generally can,
such a crop offers a higher profit than
our small grains at average prices. 1t
IN fact, compares favorabIy with
twelve bushels Of flax per acre at 50
per bushel. Through the use Of
roughage, for which our soils and CHI
mate are we'll adapted, fed to produc-
tive livestock, the North Dakota farm
er a obtain returns from his and
practically equal to the states having
a longer growing period and often
more fortunately situated. Hay, clo-
yer n alfalfa, corn, fodder n en-
s1lage place our farmer on a basis
where by the use Of livestock he can
compete favorably with any other
state.
"The farmer devoting a sufficient
acreage to the cultivated and grass
crops to maintain a good rotation, and
feeding these crops to productive live
stock has a combination that is diff
hcult to excel from a proft-making
stand point. This does not by any
means indicate that the entire farm
should be devoted to stock. An excess
Of stock on the farm is often as I'M
profitable as an excess Of grain acre
age. The farmer should endeavor to
maintain a satisfactory proportion be-
tween he two, stock and grain.
The Maintenance of Fertility.
A we are dealing primarily with
the economic aspect of livestock pro-
ductlon, 1t will not be necessary to de-
vote time to the question of the main
tenance of fertility through livestock
as a source of income. We know that
the production of livestock affects the
farm soils in ways other than through
the use of farm manue. The grass
crops which are grown add humus,
the clovers and alfalfa add nitrogen
and deepen the soil, the corn or other
cultivated crops clean and stimulate
the land. The production of livestock
makes necessary the production Of the
crops which have relatively beneficial
effects. The grain crops following
them are correspondingly better, AMI
the farm profits are thus increased.
Better Use of Capital and Labor.
1.-THE last source Of indirect profit
arises through the better use of labor
and capital invested. Farms become
relatively more profitable in the pro-
portion to which labor is constantly
employed. In other words, forms Of
management being equal, the farms
requiring labor throughout the year
are the more profitable. Livestock as
sists in making this possible. Fur
thermore, farms upon which capital is
pretty constantly employed for pro-
ductive work are the most profitable.
Constant employment and the use of
capital is impossible with any system
of single cropping which may be prac-
ticed in the northwest.
Direct Profits.
Direct profits are obtained prina-
~ AAoNS IAN 1SSuIAA6 OA LCAdL
cheap grain and r~oughagee to produce
tive livestock. Profits are impossible
unless productive animals are main
tanned. The expense of maintaining
livestock is relatively high in all SEQ
tons Of h northwest. This fact
makes it imperative hat stock kept
shall be the best Of it's kind. BY this
I do not wish you to infer that I mean
p~ure-breds, but that the individuals
must be good and well suited to the
purpose for which they are used.
Many herds of beef cattle, of dairy
cattle and of swine are Improbable
because they are not suited to the
conditions under which they are kept,
or because their owner insists on
maintaining animals which cannot
possibly return a profit on the feed,
the labor and the capital that is in
vested. .... .:.. - ts e.
"The possibilities of. direct profits
from properly conducted herds of
livestock are almost unlimited. Az
erage results as obtained from the
study of a number of dairy herds in
southeastern Minnesota show an av-
erage net DrOfit of % ner cent IN the