The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-02-20
FLORIDA LIVE STOCK

/ there been so much progress made II
the development Of live stock In the
last ten years as in Florida. Coinci
dent with the introduction and rear
| ing of pure bred stock has come q
large increase in value of the animals
per head. The early introduction Of
the pure breds dates back good
many years. These were the pioneers
that blazed the way, showing that
| pure bred stock could be grown in
Florida and that the climate itself was
more favorable to the development OF
live stock than anywhere else in the
country. The first great step in ad
/, vancement taken by the state govern
ment was the creating OF the state
live stock sanitary board, whose prin.
cipal function was that of Kidding the
state of the Texas fever tick. This
work has been carried forward splen
didly and rapid progress has been
made to overcome this most serious
handicap to the development of our
| live stock industry. In addition to the
eradication of the cattle tick, the live
stock sanitary board has well justified
its existence in the control and eradi-
cation of other cattle and swine dis
eases.
The formation of the Florida Live
Stock Association greatly stimulated
the live stock production in Florida.
The formation of the Dairy Associa-
ton, the Swine Breeders Association,
and many other associations for the
Improvement of live stock have an
been very important factors in the in
production and development of the
whole live stock business in the state
During the last two years large
number of pure bred animals have
been brought into the state and offer
ed at public sale. In every case these
animals sold well and were widely
distributed over the state, so that at
the present time there is scarcely a
community remaining but has one or
more head Of pure bred animals in it.
This is an enormous change from the
conditions we found ten years ago,
when pure bred hogs were curiosities
in many localities and pure bred cat.
tie were practically unknown in some
of the counties.
1t took no small amount of courage
for the pioneer in the pure bred live
stock business to introduce and offer
for public sale fine cattle and swine
These men, however, have been re
warded most largely in the satisfac
ton of knowing that it was good work
well done.
The United States Department. OF
Agriculture and the Florida College OF
Agriculture have borne their part Of
the burden in maintaining agents IN
the field, not only to assist the live
stock men in handling the animals,
Tut also to find courses from which
pure bred animals might be obtained
We have now within the state ami
mails of practically all breeds Of cat
lie and hogs of as fine breeding as
can be found anywhere in the world.
As a matter of fact the south stood
ouS very distinctly as leading live
stock section at the last Chicago In.
ternational Show. The grand cham
lionship for bulls went to a South
Georgia firm and the grand compton
hip for hogs went to Florida breed
err Florida has now within her bor-
ders some OF the finest producers of
Guernsey and Jersey breeds, as well
as some of TIE best animals of the
Holstein type.
It has been realized that with the
introduction of pure bred animals
there was an increased necessity for
the introduction of new and better
forage crops. All forces in the field
have combined to use all their ener.
gles IN this direction, SO that in the
last five years a large number Of new
extremely promising grasses have
/, Deen put into the hands of a large
number Of live stock men. Napie,
grass and Merker grass have been
added. to our list of soiling crops
Blue Couch grass, Piper's Carpet gras,
and number of others have beer
added to the pasture grasses.
According to the bureau Of crop IS
Inmates the total values of all live
stock in Florida during January, 1920
was over $I4,000.0OO cattle, aside from
mich cows leading with more thar
S25,OO0,OO0 worth, swine coming mex
with over $20,000.00O worth, milcl
cows coming next with over s11,O0,
600 worth, and mules and horses com