The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-10-20
bEEf CATTLE IN THE SOCTH.
iIls fart OF the Country the Cattle
UrOW1ng Section of the South.

Washington Dispatch.
Officials of the Department of Agr
rlculture are taking advantage of the
war In Europe to emphasize the pos
slblllties for the production OF beef
cattle In the Southern States. With
largely increased demand for beef
Tor export, combined with the dwind-
ing supply in other sections of the
country, the cheap land, fine grasses
and moderate climate of the South
oileIs many nducements to the live
stock farmer
According to beef cattle exnerts of
the bureau of animal husbandry, of
the total land area Of the South 1871
per cent is made up of grazing land
WOODS, waste or waste lands, and a
very large portion of the latter would
produce excellent pasture for cattle.
The types Of soil and nature Of the
lana vary widely in each State, but
IN each one are found soils which
produce abundant grazing
The sitter soils usually produce
better grazing and fatter cattle than
40 the lighter or sandy soils. The
lime lands, black prairie lands and
alluvial lands furnish the best past
ureS.
A joint report made by w T.
Ward, se1lOr animal husbandman in
beef cattle investigation, and Dan r
Gray, chief of the animal industry
division Of the North Carolina expert
ment station, has the following to
say about the South as a beef pro-
ducer:
There is no section of the coun-
try which can produce cattle more
cheaply than the South, for the lands
are still cheap, the grazing is good
the pasture season is long, feed can
inexpensive shelter only is required
for the animals during the winter
months. The native cattle through
out this section are poor in quality
and small in size, but they are also
cheap in price. They are not worth
less, however, and their cheapness is
their redeeming feature, for they are
good foundation stock from which
may be produced an excellent herd of
beef animals by judicious selection
and by the continued use Of pure bred
beef bulls.
Cheap land combined with cheap
cows for foundation stock make it
possible to start in the cattle busi-
ness in the South with an outlay Of
far less capital than in most other
sections Of the country. The only
ing south, under which young cattle
may take shelter from the cold, rain
or wind
Corn grows we'll throuehout the
South and is the principal crop
grown for grain for feeding purposes
and is more generally used for silage
than any other crop. Because of its
adaptability to almost all soil, the
wide variation Of time during which
it may be planted and its luxuriant
growth in Southern latitudes, it is
considered the most important silage
crop. Sweet sorghum can be planted
later than corn and makes a heavier
yield. The cost Of growing sorghum
and corn is about the same. A COM
bination of corn and sorghum makes
a silage that is greatly relished by
CATTLE
For many years the Department of
Agriculture has realized the import
ance of the South as a field for beef
cattle. Investigations in breeding
and feeding cattle in the South were
begun in 1904. Two years later war
was declared on the cattle tick, which
was found to be tremendous draw
back in live stock industry in that
section. The battle line against this
oublesome disease carrier was ex-
tended from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific in a ZigZag line across the South
and Southwest, the lines being tight
ened gradually in an effort to push
the tick back into the Gulf Of Mexico
and across the RO Grande. While
215,90S square miles Of territory had
been actually freed Of cattle tick be-
fore the close of the last fiscal year,
the war is being continued more Wig
orously and Systema tically than ever
before.
Any standard breed Of beef cattle
will do Well in the South. Following
its extensive tests and experiments,
the bureau Of animal industry is in
position to advise prospective cattle
raisers on this point. Some breeds
do better th4n others. Generally