The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1917-06-30
PREPAREDNESS IN
animal PRODUCTION
Livestock Should Be Held and Put in
Good Condition For the
Market.

It has been the custom for cattle
men of Louisiana to sell out all their
steers and other StOcker cattle dur
ing the winter and spring, and to car
~ but a limited herd of breeding
stock, yearlings and calves during the
summer. With the prices of cattle ad-
vancing all who have cattle and suffi-
cient summer pasturage are advised
to keep them. Prices are not likely
to decline. All the cows and heifers
Of suitable age should be bred to pure
bred beef bulls and kept in the best
possible condition until fall Then
let them run in the stalk fields. and
after frost turn them on velvet beans,
either with or without corn left in the
Geld. Ninety per cent Of the cattle
received in New Orleans since jan
nary are reported to have been fed on
velvet beans in this way, and cattle
20 fattened have brought prices rang
ing from nine to twelve cents. There
will be no question about profitable
markets for the pastures and velvet
bean fields il the farmer has the cat
Tie to feed them to. 1t will be a good
plan to keep one steer for every aero
OF beans.
sews Should Be Bred To Farrew
Before Winter.
The best hogs have been selling re-
Gently for over sixteen cents q pound
on the central markets and have net
ted Louisiana shippers twelve and one
half cents a pound weighed right out
of the feed lots. Based on present
prices, 1t is not wise to sell for less
than ten cents a pound any hogs that
can be finished for market within
eight or ten months, or any good
breeding, stock that may be needed on
the farms. All sows should be bred
winter, thus increasing the number Cf
pigs on the farms as fer as possible.
Keep the hogs in fenced pastures or
on grazing crops where they can get
plenty Of green stuff and give them
tust enough grain to keep them in
thrifty and growing condition so as
to be ready to run in the corn and
pea fields, soy beans and sweet pota-
toes in the fall, and placed on velvet
beans, with or without the cattle, az
ter the first frost. Keep posted on the
livestock markets for the class you
have for sale. Before selling or ship
ping hogs confer with the demonstra-
tion agent as to the best markets and
time for shipping.
Poultry and poultry products may
be quickly and economically increas-
ed. Keep all vigorous pullets from
early matches for egg production. Dis
pose Of all cockerels of the light, ac-
tive breeds, such as Leghorns and Gre
oles, as soon as possible after they
have made their most economical
growth, that is, when they reach the
two or two and one-half pound stage.
Caponize all vigorous cockerels from
the medium or heavy breeds, such al
Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Rhode
Island Reds, Orpingtons, etc, and feed
for growth to the six or eight pound
stage. Continue Matching chicks
through May and June for developing
into table poultry. Destroy all lice.
mites, and Intestinal parasites so the
chickens will get full beneft Of the
feed.
Keep all male birds away from the
laying hens after the breeding season
is over, thus producing infertile eggs.
which will not spoil as readily as fer
tile eggs.--G. E. Nesom, Live Stock
Extension Service, louisiana State
University.