Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-05-29
Improve the Stock Breed


The Louisville Courier-JournaI publishes an
appeal TO Kentucky farmers and livestock breeders
which is worthy Of the entire souths attention at
time so cruciaIly important in every field of food
production and conservation. Looking to future
as well as to present conditions. the Courier
Journal declares:
with the worldwide demand for i'm
proved live stock Of all kinds and with condi-
lions most promising for still greater de-
mand in the future, we urge all Kentucky
breeders to replenish their breeding stock and
10 increase their production OF pure-bred
live stock. And to all prospective breeders we
would say that It would be hard to find a
more propitiops time TO enter the live stock
business, for there are many indications that
prosperous times are In store for all engaged =
in this industry. Some very important sales
of Jersey cattle will be held in Kentucky in
the near future Most of the animals in these
offerings were imported from the Island Of
Jersey at a very large cost and ought to rep
recent the best blood the island. Too
many times in the past Kentucky breeders
have allowed bidders from other states to
take to their homes the choicest cattle offered
at public sales. We trust that on these occa-
sions Kertuckians will be willing to pay the
We do not make these statements in the in
terest of any individual group OF individ-
uais but for the good OF the purebred indus:
try OF Kentucky"
This Is sound advice for AIRY Southern State,
particularly those of the cotton belt which here
tofore have neglected their live stock interests.
In the war times which upon this region
must raise the major portion Of its food necessa-
ries or go hungry. The grain and meat surplus
of the West will be needed for the army and for
expectation to our allies, who cannot keep up the
fight unless they are provisioned from our stores.
This means that the South must produce millions
Of bushels of grain and millions of pounds Of
meat above its former food output. And it must
do so not only this year but for a number of years
to come, because however soon or late the war
ends.>it will take long time to restore the
worlds food supply and production to a normal
basis.
It is highly important. therefore. to adopt at
the very outset of the movement for increased
food production methods that will assure perma-
nent results. Particularly is this true OF live
stock raising. The better breed, the and
larger the ultimate profits will be-other things,
OF course. being equal.
Georgia has good reason to be gratifed over
the fact that last year there brought into the
State one thousand and htty-two pure-bred dairy
cattle as compared with two hundred and forty
two the preceding year. and thousand. four
hundred and twenty-seven pure-bred beef cattle as
compared with four hundred and eighty-nine the
year before. In 1916 the State acquired three
thousand, six hundred and eghty-six pure-bred
hogs-more than twice as many as 1916. These
figures IT should be noted only the so-calIed
demonstration" area, that is, the farms reported
by the county demonstration agents. Georgia last
year had larger percentage of increase in hogs
than any other State. The total value of it's farm
animals is reckoned conservatvely at more than
hundred and seven million dollars. while the
value of fits animal products sold in 1916 was esti-
mated at upwards OF thirty-seven millions
Encouraging though this record is the fact
stands out that a vast deal remains 10 be done in
improving the breed well as in increasing the
number of Georgia cattle and hogs In a number
of other States the average value of those animals
is from two to three times greater than in Georgia
because OF better breeding. Now that energies
are being directed largely live stock interests
and opportunities so rich it is to he hoped
that especial thought will be given to the question
OF breeding.