The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1917-08-02
The Study of Farm Animals.

I. The STUDY OF Farm Ahlhdls'
The study of domestic animals may
be considered both pleasure and
duty. A pleasure, because of the ma
tural born interest man feels in all
animals; and duty, on account OF
the service horses, cattle, sheep, and
swine play in the worlds affairs.
Between many people and even ma
lions, and their domestic animals, we
find an affectionate, sympathetic re-
lationship. The boy or girl who shows
devotion to an animal given to his or
her care, becomes finer, more sympa-
THO, broadminded, and more resource
full and capable. From another point
of view, animals play most lmpor-
tant part on account OF their uses
for food and labor.
The commercial value of the live
stock industry is so great tnat only
a brief reference can be made to 1t
here, The 1910 census reports that
the total number of livestock in the
United States is nearly two hundred
million and the value of them four
billion dollars. The Importance OF
domestic animals is to be seen IN sew
eral ways; namely, the use OF ANIMALS
far clothing; for food. for labor; and
in maintaining soil fertility. Zach OF
these is important. Therefore, the
study of animals relating to farm
economy and the markets of the world
becomes most important matter.
Oar animal husbandry class is not
for country boys any more than for
city boys. In fact, tiere is a large
percentage of city ooys i'll our class,
nearly half. The subject is nearly as
interesting to them as it is to the
country boys, and is certainly just as
helpful. We started with class OF
about, twelve, but there are only few
left now, as most of them are working
on the farm. We do not adhere to our
books as closely as other classes, be-
cause the material in the books soon
gets out of date, and the practical
experience of our teacher modernizes
our course of study to great extent.
Our instructor had large amount
of experience working on the farm for
individuals and for the State, and
therefore he can give much valuable
advice that it is not possible to get
out of books. He gives this in tn,
shape of supplementary notes and we
soon have a little book of valuable
hints and experiences of other sue
cessful breeders of live stock. Of
course, the books are a good founda-
ton for our study and we learn the
different types of animals from it, but
the feeding and other things we get
from. outside information. Besides
learning about animals and their care,
we learn about their products and
how to handle them.
We have a laboratory where we do
occasional experiments. Here we
learn how to test milk accurately and
we perform numerous other expert
menth. We have to have little prac-
teal experience, and our book learn
ing alone is not sufficient, as we have
to know how to apply our know
ledge on the farm. Often we take a
little tour to see something of inter-
est, as good type of horse. We spent
one day inspecting the new creamery
and we had the different operations
explained to US, after making an in
road upon buttermilk. We visited the
stock yards and learned how to ship
live stock. We also go on judging
trips, where our knowledge of the
best types are tried out. Last year,
the class fattened some steers, and
they got lots of practical experience
by doing this. They could expert
ment with different rations and notice
the effect and in this way they learned
considerable about feeding.
The animal husba.ldry department
is surely good thing for the person
intending to live on the farm, as it is
of very valuable aid to the live stock
farmer, and every farmer must know
how to raise live stock to advantage
II he is to make success of farming.
Denton Reed, Class of 1916.
I
Dairying.
Many of the boys going to the pub
lie schools wish to go and work on
farm and even to make their home
there after finishing school, These
boys as rule have had no actual ex-