Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-06
Data About Georg3a's L1ve Stock
THE ECONOMIC SITUATION.

The increase IN the number or peeI
and dairy cattle in the state during the
past six years amounted to % per cent
During the same period sheep de-
crease in number by 21.1 per cent The
number of swine in the state increased
DIN numbers by 100000.
Considering the entire south, the net
decrease in the number Of beef cattle
amounted to 100000.
IL is believed in the last six years the
population of the United States has in
creased by more than 100000. There
has been no such proportionate increase
in the number of our farm animals.
Under the stimulus of war abroad, and
extra ordinary prices. the exports of
meat products for 1916 will probably be
2,000, 0O0, 900 pounds, together with 602,
900 900 pounds of fats and oils.
We are faced with the danger of an
increasing population, of greatly in
creased foreign demands and of de-
crease in the number of live stock.
Feverish activity along the line of
greater attention to live stock produce
tion is needed
GRAVE MISTAKES.
The decrease in number of beef cattle
Is a grave economic mistake, and must
be corrected If we are to become perma-
nently prosperous and successful. The
decrease in the number Of sheep on
southern farms is also a grave mistake.
There is no explanation for such con-
dition save the fact that the worthless
cur has been allowed to flourish at the
expense of the golden hoof" of the
sheep
We have literally thrown sheep to the
dogs.
NECESSARY CONSTRUCTIVE WORK.
Tick eradication work already begun
should be prosecuted with redoubled
vigor, until this pest which has caused
losses to our cattle industry estimated
at 400OO,OOO a year is forever exter-
minated.
Preventable losses amounting to mill
lions Of dollars annually are caused by
disease and parasites. The loss from
hog cholera, amounting to millions, can
be largely prevented. tuberculosis,
which causes an annual loss of $25,000,-
900 in the United States, can be con-
trolled.
We need to educate a generation of
veterinarians We also need to educate
a generation of stockmen. That we need
education along this line is evidenced by
the fact that twenty-five of our cattle
out of every thousand die of disease,
and twenty-five die OF exposure; thirty
one sheep cut of every thousand die of
disease, and thirty-one die of exposure.
A correct estimate Of the number of
swine lost due to causes which are.
wholly preventable is difficult to make
BETTER LIVE STOCK is ESSENTIAL.
The improvement of the quality of our
live stock is absolutely essential If we
would attain the success in this industry
which our natural advantages make pos
sible To show the necessity of improve
ment in this direction, the following
comparisons are given:
AVERAGE VALUE OF LIVE STOCK IN
GEORGIA AND OTHER STATES.
Beef Cattle-Georgia, $500; Montana,
$3.50.
Dairy Cows-Georgia $37 Rhode Is
land, $77.
sheep-Georgia. $3.50; Iowa. $3.50.
Swine-Georgia, SO; Connecticut,
$3.50.
This difference in value represents a
difference in quality.
! We can produce silage ad libitum.
Summer pastures can be provided We
can increase our yields of corn, oats,
peanuts, soy beans, velvet beans and cot
ton seed meal. No section of the coun-
try may be better supplied with the
variety of foodStuffs essential TO the
proper nourishment OF all classes Of live
stock than the south.
BY the use of pure-bred sires, the elm
ination of Improbable animals, and the
| live stock, we can increase the value and
the revenue per animal at least 100 per
cent. The college recently sold a ga
grade Hereford steer for $123.50. This
steers granddam was one of a carload
of native cattle purchased at an averge
price of $17 each. The increase in value
represents the influence of a gSod sire
and intelligent care and feeding.
| The same principles of management
ted to all oIo Of fxra npIy In, tl,a
state will more than Offset any losses
the boil weevil may infiict. In addition,
there is no reason why We should not
| increase the number of hogs to 5000, 900.
This alone would add several million
dollars annually to the revenue of our
| farms.
CONCERTED EFFORT is NECESSARY.
A live stock farmer is not produced
over night Intelligence and skill and
essential knowledge on which correct
nutrition is predicated must be pos
sessed by the successful stockman. The
necessity, therefore, of encouraging
hundreds of boys in the south to take
the necessary courses of instruction in
our agricultural colleges is emphasized.
| These colleges, through their extern
sion division, are also taking vital in
struction and information to the farmers
of the state, who. already established in
the cotton business, are now forced to
change over to correct lines of diversi-
! fed farming.
Despite the fact that in the south con-
sidered as a whole. the number of cattle
has decreased, in Georgia there was an
| increase. The increase in the number
of swine amounted to 45 per cent.
j The county agents have been instru-
mental in introducing 1000 head of pure
bred animals for breeding purposes.
Georgians should be proud of the fact
that their state has held its own in live
stock development.
! * * X
| TREATING A MULE WITH INDIGES-
TON
| c. s. r., Black, Ala, writes: / have
| mule six years old. A year ago he had
! a bad cold and hts eyes have run water
ever since. He sometimes eats dirt Do
| you think his eyes will go out? What
| treatment would you advise for him?
Your mule is evidently suffering more
or less from a chronic case of indiges-
tion. This is shown by. the evidence of
the deprayed appetite to which you
refer. OF course infestation with worms
may cause the condition about which
you complain and the trouble with the
eyes may be due to periodic opthal-