Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1914-02-27
STOCK FEEDING
ON LARGE SCALE
IDAHO IRRIGATION COMPANY
FATTENlNG FINE BUNCH OF
BIG STEERS ON RiCHFlELD
FARM TO DEMONSTRATE THAT
1T PAYS.
lFrom RichaeId Reeorderl

The Recorder editor this week Wis
tied the Idaho Irrigation company
farm, adjoining the town of Richfield
where the company has been carrying
on a big practical farm demonstration
with the idea of making the farm pay
as business venture.
Judging from what is in sight this
farm does pay. They are feeding
about $50 steers grain fattened on the
Richfield tract. They were brought in
from the range early in November,
and have been fed for more than three
months. They were as wild as deers
when they came, they'd sail off across
the field at the slightest alarm, and
make an alarm themselves if someone
else would not. Now, they are big, fat.
contented animals, having gained close
to $50 pounds per head, and being as
gentle as prize dairy cows. They are
mostly well bred Herefords and Short
horns. They were not dehorned, it
having been so late in the season
when they We're brought here that
Manager Burke thought best to not
risk the dehorning. However, another
season they would dehorn all the
stock, as they fight enough to make it
real cruelty to leave the horns on.
The steers have been divided into two
pens the biggest ones being put to-
gether, and the smaller and weaker
ones left to themselves. The big ones
are now being fed about five pounds
of whole barley a day for each animal;
the others a little less. They have all
the good alfalfa hay they can eat.
The steers have been kept in an
open yard, with a good shed into
which they could go in the cold wealth
er. Most of the time, however they
have preferred to stay out of doors.
A large bunch of hogs have been fed
| in the yards with the steers, and all
are thriving well. One car Of fat hogs
were recently sold, and there will soon
be another lot to let go.
All the hogs on the place, including
the 40 or more registered Berkshires
that were brought in from Illinois last
fall. are let run with the cattle. There
are some fine hogs there, some hogs
that would make the prize winners do
their best in almost any competition.
The company had mostly grade Po-
land Chinas and a few Durocs, before
bringing in the registered Berkshires
last fall There are some of the older
animals that are "Some hog in their
own right irrespective of blood.
There is one big grade SOW that rails
ed Is pigs in one litter last year and
pigs from such a vigorous, self-asser-
tive stock ought to make magnih-
cent foundation for any herd. Some
of the Polands are as perfect type as
were ever shown at the state fair. But
the company will probably go into the
Berkshire business almost exclusively.
The stock is cared for with an idea
of making it pay; both for the real
money there is in it. and as an object
lesson for every man on the tract
Mr.. Burke, the farm manager, and Mr..
Brakeman his able assistant have tried
to make it a practical farm, and their
Missouri farm experience, where they
grew hogs and corn and fat steers iha'
beat the whole world, has stood them
in good stead.
The farm is well worth visit &c
see how the stock is handled. There
are so few feed yards in this part OF
: the state, that it will be real inspir-
alton to the farmer who wants te
make his farm pay.