The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-02-13
live STOCK IN
STATEADVANCES

Nowhere in the United States has
there been so much progress made
in the development of livestock in the
last ten years as in Florida. Coinci-
dent with the introduction and rearing
of purebred stock has come a large
increase in value of the animals per
head. The early introduction of the
purebreds dates back a. good many
years. These were the pioneers that
blazed the way, showing that purebred
stock could be grown in Florida and
that the climate itself was more ia
vOrabIe to the development of live
stock than anywhere else in the
country. The first great step in adj
vancement taken by the state govern
ment was the creating of the State
Live Stock Sanitary Board, whose
principal function was that of Kidding
the state of 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 Ct our
livestock industry. In addition to the
eradication of the cattle tick, the
Live Stock Sanitary Board has well
justified it's existence in the control
and eradication of other cattle and
swine diseases.
e The formation of the Florida Live
stock Association greatly stimulated
the livestock production in Florida.
The formation Of the Dairy Associa-
ton, the Swine Breeders Association,
and many other associations for the
Improvement of livestock have all been
very important factors in the intro
duction and development of the whole
livestock business in the state.
During the last two years large
number of pure bred animals have
been brought into the state and of
fered 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
We're curiosities in many localities
and pure bred cattle 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
livestock men in handling the animals,
but also TO find sources from which
purebred animals might be obtained.
We have now within the state, animals
of practically all breeds of cattle and
hogs of as fine a breeding as can be
found anywhere in the world. AS a
matter of fact thee South stood out!
very distinctly as a leading livestock
section at the last Chicago Interna-
tional Show. The grand championship
for bulls went to South Georgia firm
and the grand championship for hogs
went to a Florida breeder. Florida
has now within her borders, some of
the finest producers of Guernsey and
Jersey breeds, as we'll as some of the
best animals of the Holstein type.
1t 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 ener7
gies in this direction, so that in the
last five years a large number of new
extremely promising grasses have been
put into the hands of a large number
of livestock men. Napier grass and
NTerker grass have been added to our
list of soiling crops. Blue Couch
grass Piper's carpet grass and a.
number Of others, have been added to
the pasture grasses.
According to the Bureau of Crop
Estimates the total values of all live
stock in Florida during January 1920
was over S74,00O.0OO, cattle aside from
milch cows, leading with more than
$25,O00.O0O worth. swine coming next
with over S20,00O,O0O worth. miIch
cows coming next with over S11.0OO,-
600 worth, and mules and horses COM |
ing in with over $4,000, 0G0 worth |
Sheep have shown a marked though |
small increase and are estimated to be
worth over one half million dollars. |
These figures are all very large when
it is considered that the population of
Florida is estimated at something over
n million. There is every reason for
feeling optimistic as to the future of
the livestock work in the state.
p. II. ROLLS,
Director of Experiment Station and
Dean OF the State College of Agri- |
culture.