The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1917-06-21
PREPAREDNESS IN
animal PRODUCTION
Livestock Should Be Held and Put In
Good Condition For the
Market.

Il 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
field. Ninety per cent of the cattle
received in New Orleans since JAN
uary are reported to have been fed on
velvet beans in this way, and cattle
so fattened have brought prices rang
ing from nine to twelve cents. There
will be no question about profitable
markets for the pastures and velvet
tie to feed them to. 1t will be good
plan to keep one steer for every acre
of beans.
soWs Should Be Bred To Farrow
Before Winter.
The best hogs have been selling re.
Gently for over sixteen cents a pound
on the central markets and have net
ted Louisiana shippers twelve and one
half cents pound weighed right out
of the feed lots. Based on present |
prices, it is not wise to sell for less
than ten cents 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
to good boars so as to farrow before
winter, thus increasing the number Of
pigs on the farms as far as possible.
Keep the hogs in fenced pastures or
on grazing crops where they can get
plenty of green stuff and give them
just enough grain to keep them In a
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 denonstra-
ton agent as to the best markets and
time for shipping.
Poultry and poultry products may
be quickly and economically increas.
I'D. Keep all vigorous pullets from
Early matches for egg production. Dis
pose OF all cockerels of the light, ac-
i've breeds, such as Leghorns and Gre
)les, as soon as possible after they s
lave made their most economical
;rowth, that is, when they reach the
wo or two and one-half pound stage. !
1aponize all vigorous cockerels from '
he medium or heavy breeds, such as
plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Rhode
sland Reds, Orpingtons, etc, and feed a
or growth to the six or eight pound ;
tage. Continue Matching chicks :
trough May and June for developing a
nto table poultry. Destroy all lice, V
mites, and intestinal parasites so the
hickens will get full benefit Of the 0
eed.
Keep all male birds away from the
lying hens after the breeding season
J over, thus producing infertile eggs,
hich will not spoil as readily as fer
lie eggs.-G. E. Nesom, Live Stock II
Extension Service, Louisiana State cI
University. tt