Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1917-06-29
WAR MEASURES FOR
LIVE STOCK BREEDERS |

LIVE STOCK BREEDERS
War measures can be adopted by
| breeders of live stock as well as by
military and naval authorities. is the
opinion of Prof. VIM. Hislop. animal
| husbandman, Washington State Elk
pertinent Station. Pullman, Wash
AS the iron shackaes of war begin to
weigh more heavily, the adoption of
| such policies will be more general
| and will come to be regarded in the
light of patriotic obligations.
In the first place, breeders can
render supreme service by wedding
out all the culls, misfits and non
descripts from their flocks and
herds. The robber COW, the broken
mouthed eve with the spoiled udder.
the SOW with the small litter of runty,
pot-bellied, sluealing pigs. the i'm
potent stallion, bull or ram, and the
light-fleeced sheep, have no place on
our farms or ranges and no iustifi-
cation for consuming high priced
feeds A careful study of the flock
or herd should be made with the
definite aim of sending to the sham
bles all star boarders." The ma
tonal value of a flock that lambs out
l25 per cent and shears 10 pounds
of fleece; the sow that farrows eight
lusty pigs and saves 100 per cent;
the COW that returns tangible profit
over labor, feed cost and interest on
the investment, is inestimablc. In
directly they increase the effective
ness of the man in the trench.
1t is quite clear from the preced-
ing paragraph that constructive
breeders of live stock are of i'm
mense national value. Others who
merely run a few or many head OF
stock must change their ideas if they
would be considered as contributing
their share in these critical times
This is the day of the outstanding
sire, whose progeny have inherited
the power to produce profitably. The
colt must not be regarded merely as
colt. but as being to be moulded
into an effective machine to aid in
efficient crop production. When feed
is as scarce as il is today it is idle to
raise the scrub calf, the kind that
will weigh 100 pounds at three
years OF age, when, with proper
breeding, care and management. the
same weight is possible at Is or 20
months of age. 1t costs less by far
to raise an animal whose inherited
qualifications are high class than
one whose ancestry is indeterminate
In the second place, breeders can
show their patriotism and pocket
substantial profits by being on hand
Mt the birth of animals. Now many
newly born pigs die Immediately ar
ter delivery just from lack OF "A help
highland, If SOW should farroW
nine pigs and lose three before ceas-
ing labor pains. there is experienced
at once a 93h per cent loss. But
few realize this fact and consider
themselves fortunate that &c "a per
cent pulled through
The same story may be told of
chilled lambs and of colts and calves
that failed to extract themselves from
the maternal membranes. Such
losses are ineXcusable.
Thirdly, the proper care and feed
ing of the mother during the first
few days after the birth of the young
determines in large measure the
success or failure OF the owner as a
breeder. Navel-ill in colts, and con-
stipation in calves, colts, pigs and
lambs are conditions which are easily
remedied and the youngster started
on the road to success. Heavy, heat
ing constipating feeds, such as wheat.
barley or corn. should be avoided In
| fact, it is better not TO feed any grain
for "a hours after parturition and
then by slow degrees work the
young mother back to her former ra-
ton. Ten days would be the proper
length of time in which to attain full
| feed. Normal exercise should also be
given The feed and care of the
m other will reflect directly upon her
offspring. If the youngster becomes
| 4
castor oil. II it seours. cut the
mothers feed in half.