Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1921-02-15

Maine Beef.
Philip r. Park, proprietor Of Jefferson
Farms, Inc., Jefferson, Maine, 10 proving
that Maine can raise better beef and
lcheaper beef than that raised on the
western ranges.
| About eighteen months ago, Mr.. Park
purchased I've farms, four In the town
Of Jefferson, and ono In Somerville,
aggregating 1.200 to 1900 acres, for the
purpose OF establishing . practical beef
producing center. Mr.. Park took this
action after . thorough investigation
and after gathering statistics and data
to prove conolusively to his own salts
faction that Maine offered tremendous
opportunities for raising quality beet.
For foundation stock, Mr.. Park brought
to Maine forty-four head Of pedigreed
Polled-Angus cattle representing the
choicest selection of the leading herds
of the West, including many prize win
uers, among which were the fret prizs
and Grand Champion bull Of Denver,
Colorado, and the first prize heifer calf |;
also winners ut Oklahoma City and
Tennessee State Fairs at Memphis and
Knoxville, Ipdians State Fsirs, South
west Livestock Show and Illinois State
Fair In 1918, oil of the stock being out
Of prize winners for years back. A
large portion of this stock was purchased
from Ex-President Sutton of the Kansas
Board Of Agriculture, who had been
breeding Polled Angus for the past
twenty years. The herd now oonsists Of
about one hundred head and 10 consid-
cred one OF the best herds east Of the
Mississippi River.
The frat consignment of Baby Beef
from this prize herd 10 now ready for
market, and through the cooperation OF
the State Chamber Of Commerce aud
Agricultural League, and the Indus
trial Bureau of the Maine Central Rail-
road, Maine people will have an oppor-
tunity to compare the quality OF Mr..
Parks beef, grown in Maine, with that
imported from the West. Experts who
have seen the Baby Beef state that 1t
would compare with Chicago Fancy,
and belief that the beef will be of the
finest quality, inasmuch ~ 1t has been
kept growing rapidly and has been fed
on Maine. grown feeds. II 10 intimated
that the beef now ready for market will
be on the menus Of some Of the leading
hotels In Maine.
When We consider the fact that not
moro than ono per cent OF the beef,
pork and lamb products handled by tho
Western packing houses in Maine an
uually 10 raised In this state, the impor-
tance of Mr.. Parks project to develop
q greater interest In beef production In
M.;~a l. annaranf
Angus Cattle, while comparatively
new to Maine, have won . reputation
throughout the country, demonstrating
In the past twenty years their superior
ity over oil beef breeds by winning over
twenty per cent of the single steer, herd,
carload and carcass prizes at the Inter
national Livestock Exposition at Chica-
90. This fact, together with their quiet
disposition (being hornless) and their
ability TO rustic living of almost any.
thing, many think will make them the
most popular breed In the East, within
Q short time.
Mr.. Parks project has proven to be
one OF the most important events In the
livestock of Maine for some years, and
the following farmers have made pur-
chases from the Jefferson Farms, with
40 idea of going into the beef business:
Senator Clark OF South Jefferson, Melvin
White of Passadumkeag, G. 8. Towle of
Winthrop, the Erskine Brothers OF
Windsor.
II has been stated that Maine pro-
duces only one-quarter Of what 1t eats.
Maine must, therefore, awaken to the
task of feeding itself, and livestock
keeping 10 the only solution. The farms
now neglected In Maine must be re-
stocked with some kind Of livestock, II
the boys are to be kept homo. Mr..
Park believes that there are number of
farms where help Ii not plentiful, whore
the women folks are not strong enough
to care for the milk and utensils, and,
also, . good many farms whore the milk
ing, night and morning, three hundred
and sixty-ave days In the year, 10 actual.
ly the millstope that 10 breaking the
spirit Of the father, the sons, or both,
and Q good many boys have left the
farm for the reason Of the positive hor.
ror they have of the milking job that 10
never done. On such farms, Mr.. Park
believes, beef cattle will fill the bill.
These Angus cattle were fed on .
ration of Maine hay and grass, and raised
q very promisiug lot OF calves last sea
sou, 1919. During the winter Of 1919
1870 these calves were fed ensilage, .
light foddering of hay, grain ration
supplemented with ground dried fish
(another Maine product.) They were
housed under open shed conditions, but
made very Hsttering growth, coming
through the winter with the calf fat on
them.
The past summer they had the run Of
. rough pasture and . daily ration OF
grain In addition.
These cattle were fed ensilage made
from sweet corn stalks and grain that
should be grown on every Maine farm,
corn and barley. No better beef can be
raised In the West, and with the won
derful pastures and ideal climatic con.
ditions, this state should take courage
from this demonstration and start re-
claiming its old pastures and abandoned
farms. There 10 hardly farm In Maine
that can not grow either corn, oats or
barley, and these simple grains and q
very little concentrate -oottonseed meal,
oil meal or fish-will grow the finest OF
beef at the minimum Of expense.
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