Jerome County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1919-1920, 1919-10-16

PREPARED by the United states Depart
nent Of AgricultureJ
Each fall and spring there is normal !
ly heavy movement of springer or /
fresh cows from the city markets and |
from dairy-breeding regions TO the /
miik-producing sections of the country. /
Many commercial diaries do not raise
new recruits for their herds. but sim
ply make a practice of milking out
fresh COWS and then disposing Of the
dry animals as beef and purchasing
more cows which have just calved.
Dairy farmers. also. in order to main
.ain their production Of milk at a
normal point throughout the year.
yftcn have 10 purchase fresh COWS or
near springers at time when most
of the producers in their herds are
dry. All dairymen who purchase COWS
are urged TO exercise every effort 10
expedite the railroad movement of the
dairy inairons during their time in
transit and to provide all possible
comfort for the animals en- route. Care
full management will reduce mortality
and will increase production over the
flow from the average cow carelessly
"railrOl led.
Valuable Animals by Express.
Valuable pure-bred cows usually
should be handled by express service,
as Their Increased worth for breeding
purposes over that of grade animals.
which are usually handled by freight
service, justifes the additional ex-
penditure for rapid trip from the
point of loading to destination. Elk.
pressage usually costs four or five
times as much as movement by freight,
but in the case of particularly valu-
able COWS the saving in animal com
fort, the shorter time in transit and
the better conveniences for feeding
and watering the animals, make the
added expenditure advisable. In cast
pure.bred animals cannot be handled
by express, they should be loaded ac
cording to the special system discussed
in this article. Az far as possible
dairy cows should be shipped one o.
two months before they are due L
frt shen, as repeatedly fresh cows hav'
been ruined, so far as the subsequen
lactation period has been concerned
IS result Of being shipped shortl
before freshening or so as to calve il
transit.
Heifers Make Good Buys"
Aiilch cows of grade breeding ord
uarily are shipped by freight, dr.
COWS and far springers being most d,
siiable for long shipments. Heifer
which are not due to freshen unit
three to four weeks after arrival 1
destination make good buys as the
are of a size and condition which pc
mils Of loading the car to capacit.
Furthermore. immature animals al
less susceptible to injury in trans
AID to damage as result of chang
Of environment. So far as poSsibl
animals without horns should
shipped. and where it is necessary
carry any horned animals in railroa
cars they should be penned apart {
L tied securely at one end of the car, )
II that they cannot iniure any of the
IL travelling mates. Where bulls a
u Slipped in mixed carloads. these sir'
l. SHOULD be confined in pens apart fro
; the other cattle.
Other conditions being equal. ii
" recommended by specialists that abo
: Il mature cows he loaded in IS
= 10 foot car. 4 practical arrangeme
is to tie four cows in each end of Il
u chr. facing the end walls and roui
Sc partitions can he installed so tn
IL rvo other rows of three cows ca
81 face center alleyway between &
d car doors. where the attendant G.
stay and extra feed and water can
IL cnrried. This arrangement is me
'" comfortable for the cows, as tn
II ride and absorb the shock and
d better. while it also facilitates
y operations of the caretaker in feedi
/" the COWS and cleaning the car.
Watch the Weather.
Ii is preferable to move the co
~ during cold weather, rs hot weatf
> and close confinement in the car 4
ny hard on the milk producers. Care mi
j" he exercised. however. not to expo
&C. the cows needlessly during very CO
!" weather. owing to danger Of tn
contracting pneumonia Cows VIII
'"' have been accustomed to warm, w
~ ventilated stables suffer during
~ railroad trip unless the car is prope
:" loaded and provision made for
~ uuent change of air. At best 1t tai
" an animal about year to beco
W thoroughly acclimated to warmer
% colder climate than that to which
re- has been accustomed, and on this
count the movement should take pl'
ny at a time of year when the tempe