The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-02-25

The use of more and better pure
bred sires is a dependable method of
decreasing the costs Of rib roasts and
beefsteak, because cattle Of better
blood make more economical and rapid
gains than do their scrub-ancestored
rivals. Buying a good herd bull is the
first step in growing better calves Il
much less cost per pound. In common
or native COW herds, calves sired by
purebred bulls weigh on an average
about 125 pounds a head more when
one year old than youngsters Of the
same age sired by the average run Of
scrub bulls. and they will sell for
about two cents a pound more as
stockers and feeders. Two-year-old
steers sired by good purebred bulls
weigh on an average about 200 pounds
q head more than steers parented by
scrub bulls, and sell for about four
cents a pound more as stockers and
feeders. This difference in price Of
the two classes Of calves and steers
applies not simply to the difference in
weight. but to the total weight. For
instance, in the case Of yearlings,
scrubs weigh about 800 pounds and
sell for about 9 cents a pound. while
grades at the same age weigh about
425 pounds and will sell TO- IL cents
a pound. Two-year-old scrubs weigh
about 525 pounds head and, valued
at s cents a pound. will bring $40
apiece, while grades of equal age
weigh about 725 pounds and. at u
cents a pound as stockers and feed
ers, bring $S7.
Good Care for Bull.
The bull should be the best-cared-
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 linn
tied seasons of the year. Unless a
special lot can be provided some
means of giving the bull exercise
should be devised.
Next to the bull, the cows merit
careful attention. Breeding cows of
large. roomy. vigorous type. possessing
strong constitution as indicated by
a wide. deep conformation. with a
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 fieshing. loose. pliable skin.
glossy coat Of hair. and. in general.
animals which are not coarse or rough
in any respect. should ''e selected for
breeding purposes. Such cows usu-
ally produce sufficient milk to nourish
their calves properly. 1t should be the
aim of every beef owner to select COWS
for the breeding herd which will grad
ually and consistently improve the
average Of the progeny. At least
these are the recommendations Of the
United States department Of agricul-
ture, as set forth in Farmers Bulletin
No. 1913. "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. OF
dual-purpose operations are the en-, ,
sought. The straight beef system Is
primarily adapted to regions where
pasture is plentiful and cheap, this sys-
TEN being more widely followed I'm the
United States than either Of the other
wo. The baby-beef system IS high
specialized line and is peculiarly
.dapted to regions where plentiful
supply Of fattening feeds Is grown.
together with sufficient pasture for
the summer maintenance Of the breed.