Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-03-10
STOCK FARMING is
URGED BY OFFICIAL
Frank B. Morrison Claims Farm
erS Prosper Most Where
Live Stock Is Kept.
BY Frank B. Morrison, Assistant d.
rector Agricultural Experiment Sta
tion of University of Wisconsin.

The whole world over, the most en-
lightened and progressive agricultural
districts are found where live STOCK
provides one Of the chief sources OF
| income. This is due to several reasons.
The livestock farmer cannot live from
hand to mouth, but must provldentV
lay in a store of feed for his animals
| throughout the winter months Ins
same care and foresight is then car
ried into his other activities. Under
some systems of agriculture the re-
| turns from the years crops all come
in at once, which makes for extraVa-
gance and idleness, with resultant pow
| erty until another crop is harvested.
| On the other hand, under most systems
| of livestock farming, income is Sc
cured several times during the year.
The care and control of domestic
animals, which are intelligent yet sub
missive to his will, tends to develop
the best instincts in man and make
him kindly, self-reliant, and trust
worthy. The good stOckman grows
proud of his sleek, well-bred ANIMALS
and derives a satisfaction therefrom
not measured in money. With pride
he may hand down to his sons his rep
utation as a breeder. He is also able
to leave them fertile fields which ne
has built up rather than robbed,
heritage bequeathed by but few grain
farmers.
Face New Conditions.
In the early days, with land low in
price. pasturage abundant, and feed
and labor cheap, making a profit from
livestock farming was comparatively
easy, even though one possessed little
knowledge of the principles governing
the feeding and care of stock. COndl-
tons have now changed. The great
western prairies no longer offer rich
fields free for the taking, and hence
throughout the country fertile land
has advanced in price. No less marked
has been the increase in the cost OF la
Dor and Of feeding Stuffs.
Present conditions call for more
intelligent type of stock farming than
has ruled in the past. Good profits
are possible only when all the opera
tons are planned intelligently and
with good Judgment, and there is
thorough appreciation of the require
ments of the various classes of ami
mails for food and care.
Must Know By-Products.
r. .1o o;oooo,. Iovc Of orr country
the feeds commonly used for live stock
were restricted to the grains and
fOrages grown on the farm. knoWl-
edge of the value of these farm-grown
products is not now sufficient for in
telligent feeding. The problem is COM
plicated by the host of by-products re-
sulting from the manufacture Of ar
ticles of human food which are offered
on the markets as feeding-stuffs for
stock. Many of these are valuable and
economical supplements to the feeds
raised on the farm. However, such
products vary considerably in price
and even more markedly in nutritive
value
Most economical feeding is therefore
possible only when the relative value
of these different products compared
with each other and with the farm
grown crops is clearly understood. In
seeking a knowledge of feeds and Of
feeding we must first consider the
plant substances which provide the
nourishment for farm animals and
study the manner in which these COM
pounds are built up in the living plant.
Next we should learn how the food
consumed by animals is digested and
utilized within the body for the pro-
duction of meat, milk, work, or wool,
and should also study the require
ments of each class of animals for
food, water, shelter and exercise. Only
then are we in some measure in po-
sitiOn to understand the value and
merits for each of the farm animals OF
the many different feeds, and finally
to consider the principles of care and
management, the constant observance
of which is essential to the highest
success in animal husbandry.