The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-02-05
TREASURE STATE FARM and LIVESTOCK
Future of Cattle Industry Us Memaced
by the Short Calf Crop of 1924-1925

cry 100 breeding COWS must be had
to pay expenses at the present time
All calves above this will represent
a profit to the operator.
Mr.. Ballard also calls attention to
the fact that "an important factor
in calf crop percentages is barren
ness of range females following pre-
mature breeding. Eighty-fiye out Of
1875 stockmen questioned have stated
that -barrenness has resulted in their
herds following breeding Of yearling
heifers. Barrenness from this cause
is particularly prevalent where feed
conditions are not the best. 1t is
well-knOwn that a better COW is re-
tanned and a better calf obtained If
heifers are bred at two years old to
calve at three.
1.-THE average ratio Of bulls to COWS
on the Nevada range is n to 80. IN
terviews with stOckmen who reported
the highest percentages indicate that
the preferred ratio is one to 25.
Another point is the effect Of
winter handling OF stock cows on the
calf crop. Under similar conditions,
except for handling, a 20 per cent
crop was obtained from herds enter
ing the breeding season in good con-
ditiOn and only q So per cent crop
where the herd was in poor cOndi-
ton from the effects Of shOrtning up
on the hay supply"
In the January number of the
Producer" VIII c. Barnes, makes
some pointed comment on calf crop
production and on the future Of the
- L-,ug-.-- nhD-f~m h0- on%A1a
producers will profit by looking
closer into their calf production pro-
blem. In commenting upon the
small calf crop over the entire cOun-
try for the last five years, which he
places at between 35 and 40 per
cent, he says:
"It naturally follows that in the
next few years heifer calves will be
saved for replacements, while steers
are bound to DO extremely scarce.
Meantime, there are ways and means
by which owners can do much to OV-
ercome this shortage, and incident
ally profit thereby. A lot of wide
awake cOWmen in the West have
learned in recent years that breed
ing-pastures are a mighty good in
vestment when COWS are placed in
them with plenty of first-class &C
| tive young bulls. IhaYe seen records
of from IS to 95 per cent calf crops
under this system, and the owners
were well pleased with results.
From the very first, two items il
production have caused heavy leaks
in the range business. These are
small calf crops and losses among the
cOws-especially the young heiferl
with their first calves. You cannO'
have steers to sell in 1927 if the
1926 calf crop was short-it simpl!
cannot be done These breeding
pastures will do much to meet thiI
lack Of calves. Providing a little
winter feed, and not allowing heifer'
to drop their first calves before they
are full three's will help consider
ably toward stopping another leak
A 40 per cent calf crop means tha-
so out Of every 100 breeding cows
are boarding with the careless, IN
businesslike owner. He is out theil
board, lodging, taxes, labor, and in
terest on the investment in those 81
childless old pelicans who eat hi
grass and give him nothing in return
""The last five-year period has beer
very bad for producers OF blOOdeC
bulls. The harassed and hard-uI
range men have put off buying
breeding stock until muc hOf the cal
shortage and light weights Of year
ling steers can be traced u~nquestiOn
ably to the lack Of sufficient bulls
! plus the low grade Of those that ar
on the ranges. You cannot run a Gov
ranch without bulls, any mOre thai
you can run a Ford car without gas
Oline. They are an indispensable,
part of the plant. If one capOnt pro
vide the bulls, why stay in the GOV
business?
Here, for instance, are two illus
tratiOns from northern Arizona. Bot
ranges are practically the same, a
far as feed and water go; and las
summer was an unusually good on
down there for feed. Two owner
from the same range shipped at tn
same time. They take the best car
of their cattle. Their yearling steer
averaged $50 pounds at the loadin
point, and showed blood and breed
ing from nose to tail. They brOugh
$3.50 a bead. Another owner, o
an adjoining range Of equal value
who economical on bulls, both as t
grade and numbers, and let hi
stuff take care of itself most Of tn
summer, shipped at the same time
His yearlings averaged 40 mound,