The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1920-02-28

weight. For instance, in the case of
warnings, scrubs weigh about 800
pounds and sell for about 8 cents a
pound, while grades at the same age
weigh about 425 pounds and viii sell
for II cents a pound. Two-year-old
scrubs weigh about 525 pounds a
head and, valued at cents pound,
will bring SAP apiece, while grades of
equal age weigh about 725 pounds,
and, at 12 cents a pound as stockers
and feeders, bring $87.
Good Care for Bull
The bull should be the best-cared
for individual in the herd. Not only
should he have the proper feed, but
he should be kept in a separate pad
dock or lot and should not have the
freedom of the herd except during
limited seasons of the year. Unless
special lot can be- provided, some
means of giving the bull exercise
should be devised.
Next to the bull, the cows merit
careful attention. Preceding cows of
large, roomy, vigorous type, possess
ing strong constitution as indicated
by a wide, deep conformation, with
good chest or heart capacity, strong,
clean-cut muzzle, bright eye, and
alert but gentle disposition should be
chosen as foundation stock. Cows of
good quality that prosper on limited
feed rations, as indicated by their uni
form fleshing, loose, pliable skin,
glossy coat of hair, and, in general,
animals which are not coarse or rough
in any respect, should be selected for
breeding proposes. Such cows usu-
ally produce sufficient milk to nourish,
their calves properly. It should be TIE
aim of every beef owner to select
cows for the breeding herd which will
gradually and consistently, improve
the average of the progeny. At least
these are the recommendation of the
United States department of agrieul-
ture, as set forth in Farmers Bulletin
No. 1918, "Growing Beef on the
Farm" which has just been issued.
There are three general systems of
handling beef-breeding herds, in re-
spect to whether beef, baby beef, or
dual-purpose operations are the ends
sought. The straight beef system is
primarily adapted to regions where
pasture is plentiful and cheap, this
system being more widely followed in
the United States than either of the
other two. The baby-beef system is a
highly specialized line and is peculiar
1 ly adapted to regions where plenti-
full supply Of fattening feeds is
grown, together with sufficient pas
ture for the summer maintenance of
the breeding herd and nursing calves.
At the present time the corn belt is
/ the region best adapted to this system
although it is practical in a limited
way in other sections. The dual-puF-
| pose system is followed extensively in
many semi-dairy districts. According
to this plan all the cows are MIXED
and the calves are raised on skim
milk and supplemental feeds. Often
the dual-purpose idea resolves itself
into trying to make dairy animals out
of strictly beef breed. Dual-pur-
pose calves, as rule, do not possess
the beef type characteristics of strict
ly beef-bred calves, but when they are
"grown out" and fattened properly
they make very satisfactory beef.
Cut Feed Costs to Limit
When feeds are high in price the
use of cheap rations is especially de
sirable for the maintenance of the
breeding herd. Cows raised for the
production of calves only can be fed
very cheaply on silage and dry rough
ages, combined with small quantity
of protein-rich concentrates, although
by the substitution of leguminous
hays the costly concentrates may be
omitted. Dual-purpose cows kept for
dairy products as well as calves
should receive feeds nearly identical
with those provided for dairy cows.
As far as possible, homegrown feeds
should be utilized, although it is al
most essential that considerable
amounts of purchased concentrates be
provided. Cows that are MIXED
should receive l pound of concentrate
for every to pounds of milk pro-
duced, depending upon the fat content
of the milk.
In the South, where velvet beans
may be grown, this crop when planted
with corn affords excellent pasturage
for breeding cows after the corn has
been gathered. Throughout the drouth
exposed areas of the West it is un.
usual to save emergency supplies OF
feed, and as a result during the
drouth many cattle owners are
obliged to utilize the native range
plants such as soapweed, sotol, bear
grass and prickly pear. These plants
ground up, serve to sustain the life
of cattle where each mature ANNA
receives from 20 to 25 pounds a day
When from / to 2 pounds of cotton,
seed cake is supplied as supplement
"a the chopped feed a fairly good "a