The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-05-07
PRODUCTION OF BEEF
DRY LAND FARM SHOULD SUP.
PORT SOME LIVE STOCK.
N Farmer Can Secure Section or More
OF Rough Grazing Lands and Put
u Under Fence Problem 10
Very Greatly slmplIHed.
By PRoF. THOMAS sHAwJ

tBy PltOF. THOMAS SHAW)
The idea cherished by many is that
the dry land farm can not be made TO
produce proftably anything but grain
That view is not correct II will yet
in many instances be made 10 produce
more or less OF live stock along with
the grain. The live stock will certain
ly include poultry and poultry products
and swine. For the production Of these
the conditions are quite favorable. and
the same may be said OF mutton. This
farm may also produce dairy and beef
products. but for the production OF the
former II is not so well adapted. owing
90 the greater dificulty OF obtaining
succulent food than Is found In humid
areas.
II the dry land farm is located In
contiguity to rough grazing lands. and
n the farmer can obtain a section or
more of these and can put the same
under fence. the problem OF producing
beef is very greatly slmpliHed. This
rough land will provide the grazing
and the arabic land will furnish the
other food wanted. The farmer is thus
In position to grow considerable
amount OF wheat or fiax. or both, for
sale. and to grow In addition folders
and grain such as the animals may
need in winter and also to put them
into condition for the market when
this may be necessary. Should the
calves come In the autumn. they could
be made ready for the market with
but one seasons grazing, as will now
be shown.
This could be done whether the cows
suckled their own calves or whether
they were MIXED by hand. The first
winter both would be kept on the farm
and the cows would receive a liberal
amount OF food. II the calves were
given milk during the milk period
they would require supplemental meal
and fodder In addition. They would
then be ready for going onto pasture
In the spring after they had been
weaned. Both cows and calves would
then go on pasture until the early au.
tumn. The calves would then be
brought In and pushed along for the
spring market by feeding them n lib
eral allowance OF grain and suitable
folders. They would then reach the
market at rs months and should sell
for relatively high price.
But should II be necessary TO con,
fine the cows to the farm. the problem
is not so easy. The difficulty Is in
f'ndlng grazing. because OF the short.
age OF the rainfall.
The area called for OF native pasture
TO maintain one beast In the summer
season is quite too large to make such
grazing profitable on the arabic farm.
However. where part OF the land is
summer fallowed the volunteer grain
on the same will furnish considerable
pasture until the time comes to plow
the summer fallow. II rye had been
drilled in the previous summer or
autumn, after the removal OF the grain,
the grazing thus furnished would be
very considerable. In some areas
bronze grass will do fairly well as pas.
ture. usually much better than the ma.
tive grass. In time II will probably be
found that mixture OF alfalfa and
bronze will furnish more grazing than
can be obtained from other sources.
This system would probably call for
feeding supplemental grain food more
or less to the calves from the time
that they would take II until they were
ready for the market. But during the
one summer that they were on grazing
the amount called for daily, II fed at
all, would be very small, not more than
two to three pounds ger day. Calves
thus reared on their dams should
weigh at rs months 900 10 1000
pounds These should sell at present
prices for s to 9 cents per pound. for
they would be prime. Thus one calf
would fetch In the market s72 to 500
per animal, II reared on skim milk
the return would be considerably less.
but Il would be far more than counter.
balanced in the profit made from the
cream.