The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1922-06-01
Once the Range for Buffalo and Long
Horn Texas Cattle.
But the Long Horn Has Given Way to
Grades and Pure Breeds.
Hogs and Sheep are to a Less Extent
Raised IN Western Kansas
(By R. Kenneth Evans)

proved. The richest grass in the
world still grows and cures in the fall
as it stands.
The small farmer is making the
new sections, and that means herds
and more particularly for immediate
profit, dairying. The dairy cow con-
verts the rich grass and roughage in
to the most valuable product possible
and in concentrated form which can
be marketed at almost the same fig
.ure, here in the middle west, as in the
east. But for deferred returns beef
may perhaps prove as profitable. The
range animal is always ready for
market in the late summer and goes
into the winter fat.
The cattle industry is the oldest in
tie state of Kansas and as such is
known over the entire United States
for its standard of quality. The
Long horn" has given way today to
the graded and pure bred animals
and in Ellis county during the last
few years the standard of breeding
has been materially raised by the i'm
portation of pure bred stock.
Kansas has been famed for many
years for the excellent quality of
cattle which has left its borders.
With the breaking up of the big open
range herds and the advent of many
new settlers, the stocl1man has broken
away from the old idea of running
cattle on the range the year around
and as matter of safety has pro
vided feed for winter maintenance.
Agriculture in Western Kansas and
Ellis county has advanced rapidly,
therefore, this method of stock pro-
duction is growing in popularity>year
by year.
The cattle industry is now reaching
its third era of operation. Instead
of shipping feeders as has been done
in the past, the finished product is
now shipped, as it is necessary for the
stock farmer to make the best of
every animal he raises and look for
ward to the new methods. AS the
agricultural possibilities are increased
in Western Kansas the feeding for
finished beef, which is now followed,
will be INCREASED to much larger
scale
Practically all kinds of grain
flourish in the county with corn an
important crop and second to wheat,
while alfalfa and other forage crops
are grown profusely. A large amount
of crops raised is best marketed 'on
the boof'' through livestock feeding
and this practice is being materially
encouraged. The nutritious grasses,
wonderful climate and abundant
feeds through extensive cultivation
of the soil makes it very easy for the
farmer to excel in the finished beef
for the market. The improved farms
nust feed meat producing annals to
keen ND an increased fertility in the
soil and many farmers find incomes
easier and more certain through live
stock production. There is every op-
portunity for men OF energy TO make
= success of the cattle business in
Wesetrn Kansas.
History of Development
A few cattle were brought to Kan
sas with the earlier settlers which
started the industry. Later cattle
men went TO Dodge City, which was
the end of the Texas trail, and bought
cattle to place on the large ranges Of
nutritious buffalo grasses. With the
end coming of Texas drives the cattle
business in Kansas became one of
production at first depending on grass
the year around and later more men
began raising forage for winter use
The Improvement of the cattle busl-
ness in Western Kansas began in the
late Seventies when Sir George Grant
Drought Galloways TO Victoria and
short time later ShOrthOrns and Here
fords were introduced.