The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-09-19
Sheep Feeding Yard Improvements.

The Edgerton Sheep Feeding yards
have, under the able supervision of its
manager Mr.. C. G.. Biederman's direc-
ton, made important and extensive
improvements in order to be able to
handle the constantly increasing bust
ness coming it's way. The original
wooden chutes have been replaced by
concrete construction, new posts &C.
mented in, all gates and partitions new.
The arrangement for handling the
stock is of the same type as that used
in the Chicago stock yards. There are
five double gates, making it possible to
handle five cars at one time, and in the
case of sheep the two decks may now
be nnloaded or loaded ut the same time.
Mr.. Biederman stated that under fav-
orable conditions 1900 sheep five car
loads-m be unloaded in three min
utes. The length of the receiving
platform is 220 feet, the width 60 feet.
Along the rear a concrete retaining
wall is built which will hold back not
only the earth but also keep water
from running over the chutes. The
floor is graveled, and the plan is to
cover with cinders in order to insure a
dry and firm floor. Up to the present
time the high water mark handled dur
ing the season was 252, 900 sheep. With
the present equipment not only sheep
can be handled but all types of cattle
and hogs. The animals are shipped in
by western shippers, and it depends
upon the market in Milwaukee aud Chi
cago, as well as upon the condition OF
the sheep and cattle, how long they are
held in the feeding yards. 1t may be
AZ hours and it may be 100 days. II
the markets east are clogged, the
stock has to wait in Edgerton, and it
depends upon how fast the shippers
move their shipments from the west
how large number must be fed at one
time The station which was originally
built to handle sheep is now handling
cattle and hogs, as stated, and 1t aims
to run those lines pretty strongly after
this. Last Monday Mr.. Biederman re-
ceived notice of 60 car loads heading
for Edgeaton, the first 10 of which
came through that evening. The stock
comes from Iowa, Minnesota, the Da-
kotas and Montana. To handle the
stock which is fed for longer periods
the station has about 225 acres of land
under its control, half of which is
owned by the station. In the winter
the stock is housed in several big sheds
where the feeding is done. These sheds
also serve the purpose of curing tobac-
co, as the yard is raising each year
large amount of tobacco. This year 60
acres of tobacco has been cultivated.
This may be done as large amount OF
fertilizer accumulates in the sheds and
chutes, and the owners use it for the
tobacco fields. From time to time a
piece of land is added to the holdings
of the company in order to use the fer
tilizer, the commercial value of which
is less than So per ton, while for soil
improvement at home it is worth about
81 per ton, according to analysis of it
made at the state experiment station.
Last week Mr.. Biederman bought a s.
acre piece from Will Doty on the Al
bion road south of the A. Bliven place
for $500. Some time ago the Gettle
10 acres northwest of town was ac-
quired. The feeding station is good
property and has excellent prospects, of
growth.