The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-10-27

ed When a Calf, Mainly for Lack Of
Suitable Food, but When Given
Adequate Feed andsProper Care De-
veIoped Rapidly and Later Took
First Prize in His Class at the State
Fair.
specialists consider it dependable, for
1 the, replies have been received from
large proportion Of farms on the ac-
| credited-herd list (having cattle free
a from tuberculosis), and most Of the
i remainder are from farms whose own
ers are cooperating with the Depart
ment Of Agriculture and state agricul-
tural colleges in the Better Sires--
Better Stock" campaign. Those who
answered the QUESTIONABLE are, there
fore, interested in the control Of dis
ease and the Improvement in quality
Of domestic animals, and, in general,
are progressive live stock owners.
4 In addition to the three principal
causes Of runtiness previously men-
toned, the reports show that there
Iare numerous other contributing
causes, A. summary Of the opinions
from 78S live stock owners shows that
the principal causes Of runty live
stock are: Inferior breeding, S16 per
cent; inadequate Or unsuitable feed,
80.4 per cent; parasites and insect
: pests, Isl per cent: inadequate hous-
l ing and care, 12.4 per cent; contagious
diseases, 40 per cent; exposure, 2.9
per cent; accident, 10 per cent; other
causes, IL per cent. 1t appears that
the breeding Of well-selected purebred
stock produces very few understood
animals, but that with scrubs-espe
cially when inbred-the percentage OF
runty stock is high. sI
l The reports show that runtiness is
most prevalent among hogs, the aver
n age percentage reported being 1O.1
This, moreover, includes number Of
farms which reported no runts at all
One farmer who Is breeding good
purebred hogs and feeding them 8
variety and plenty of feed, states
1--we have not had runty pig in two
e years, although the litters sometimes
contain from 9 to II pigs EACH"
n The results Of the inquiry indicate
: that the size of an animal Of goot
, breeding at birth has but little rela
ton to the mature weight where prop
! er feed, care and management arr
. provided. This is shown in mum
Der Of cases Of successful hog raiser'
who report that lack Of uniformity II
) fairly large litters has been overcome
. by proper feeding. A cattle breede
in Montana reports that proper feed
ing and care Of runty animal re
suited In developing 1t to such a finisl
, that 1t took first prize in its class a
. the state fair.
It appears from summary Of 90
reports that a comparatively smal
) number Of animals are born runty
! and that most stunting Of growth be
gins relatively short time befor
weaving, or soon afterwards. 4 Nor
; than SO per cent Of runty live stocl
. appears during infancy or ,befor
!. weaving, according to reports, whil
|. 35 per cent shortly after weaving, an
only a. per cent at birth. gs
: In reply to question on the prac
ticability Of raising runts to marke
size "a per cent OF the replies indicat
that n Ia v10f yrnfifahIo IA unl. pnn
answered either yes, or yes with qua
ifications. Comments show that u
4 well-bfed animal, even though under
sized, will develop into just as goo
an animal when 1t is given an eQus
chance, with inherited runtines
due to inferior breeding one stocl
man declared. ut does not pay, Othe
cases due to lack Of proper feed ma
| hn rAtund with rarr,f4f ~ t&,.i#j5i if.s