The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-04-24
LIVE STOCK FARMER
BETTER CREDIT RISK

fallOW, but as the farms get higher
in price the owner can not afford to
lose the use of his land for that per-
iod He may plant corn, grow roots
and alfalfa which will give large
yields Of the best live stock foods. AS
the system changes the farmer will
increase the number of farm animals.
A rotation of crops will increase the
yield per acre just in proportion to
the head Of live stock maintained to
consume the crops. By this system he
is enabled to return to the soil most
of the fertility taken from it in the
production of grain.
| It is interesting to learn from many
of our prairie wheat growers, that
they admit that eventually they will
have to come to it. They thought the
soil would last forever, if they thought
about it at all, but now some of the
oldest wheat men are ready to admit
that rotation and manure must be re-
sorted to in an effort to increase the
yields of wheat, barley, oats. flax and
rye. Farming in the older States has
now become a highly specialized bust
ness, and the farmer who manages his
business on the same lines that sue
coed in the conducting Of manufac-
tn egnristablishment, shop or store
that is successful, will prosper in his
work in just as great degree as he
|, who succeeds in any other business.
No young nan need leave the farm to
find scope for all the talent he may
have, as an executive, or hunt else
where than in the country for oppor-
tunities for building up large bust
ness enterprise. In every particular
the stock farm has the same depart
ments rightly arranged as the retail,
manufacturing or jobbing business.
First it is the production of cattle.
This results in providing good build
ings, in the practice of the best meth
DDS of sanitation, in the caring for
health of the cattle, as we'll as seeing
that they are we'll and regularly fed
with only the best feeds otainable.
The stock breeder has the satisfaction
OF knowing that year by year he is
raising the quality and productive
ness of his land. On farm that is
devoted to the breeding of live stock,
there is no necessity of taking from
the soil any Of it's fertility except
what is taken by the animals them
selves. In building up the fertility of
the soil, the live stock breeder knows
he is fulfilling one of the first duties
of the American farmer. That was
the gospel that the late James J. Hill
continually taught.
Farm management includes the
wise use of capital. Money invested
IN farm should be expected to earn
interest: One should have correct
proportion of the amount of capital in
operating form. Statistical data in
dicates that 20 to 30 per cent Of the
total capital should be available as
operating capital If used for the
purchase of good live stock it will be
in the safest form of operating capt.
tai. On we'll equipped farms and es-
peclally where thoroughbred stock is
kept. the proportion of operating cap
ital may run as high as 40 ner cent
with excellent results. If a farmer
has to borrow money. he should Dor
row it on the land and invest it in OBJ
Grating expenses. First, for the rea-
son that it can be borrowed at low
er rate of interest, and second, be-
cause if ready cash is available more
stock and equipment is likely to be
purchased. With available capital for
buying and selling and for. making a
quick turnover, the farmer has many
opportunities for making gains on his
investment
An efficient use of labor should be
carefully studied. The largest per
cent of farm labor should be expended
on productive enterprises, such, as
heavy yielding dairy cows, cxiickly
fattened hogs, etc. Statistics Show
that cows giving 225 lbs. Of butter fat
are merely boarders. No doubt with
the present high price of feeds and
labor this figure is much too low and
should be 260 to 275 lbs. The cost of
maintaining COW giving 26o lbs. of
butter fat is nearly equal to that Of
keeping one giving $50 to 400 lbs. of
butter fat, so the profit from the
higher PROD Ning cow is very much
greater. 1t is just as important that
crops be fed to quick growing or rap
idly fattening meat animals, as it is
that hey be fed to high producing
cows. That is the only way in which
profit can be made on the manufac-
turer of feed into meat products.
Young animals we'll fed following
birth, and raised on good quality
of farm roughage, and rapidly fatten-
ed on reasonable amounts of grain
feed, offer an almost certain source of
profit, and give good returns for la
Dor employed in that way. It was
stated by several speakers at a re-
cent meeting of the North Dakota
Dairyman's Association which l at
tended, that the value of dairy pro-
ducts in North Dakota will exceed
that of the wheat crop in less than
twenty years. This is very encour-
aging statement, and if true, which
believe it is, would indicate that we
are at least started on the road to
prosperity.
What is to be the future of the
horse market in this country---is a
matter of much discussion and inter
est at the present time. Major Leon
ard of the United States Marines, who
has spent much time in European
countries and in studies in the Euro
pean war area, contendc that the re-