Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1929-10-17
! syITES REASON FOR
INFERIOR CATTLE
Shipley Says Average Herd in Coun-
ty is of Lower Quality Than Few
Years Ago. Urges Purchase of
Thoroughbred Sires.

! Mr.. w. E. Shipley, of Wallace,
Va, formerly of Vale Crucis, was
in the county the first of the week
weighing some cattle, and when ques-
toned by Democrat reporter as to
| the quality of the steers offered this
season, gave out the information that
in his opinion cattle being raised in
Watauga County are perhaps so per
cent. inferior to those marketed
some ten or fifteen years ago. The
| former Wataugan, who has likely i'll
years gone contributed more to the
| livestock industry of the northwest
ern part of North Carolina than any
other man, and who knows cattle
thoroughly, showed keen disappoint-
ment that the herds of the county
have retrogressed and opined that
unless something is done to improve
the quality of Watauga's cattle gen
orally, the county is destined to be
out of the running as livestock re-
| gion. Buyers are already beginning
to turn their backs on this section,
according to Mr.. Shipley who
stressed the fact that the large Vir-
ginia feeders" who formerly came
J to this section for their stock, have
been for several years importing
thoroughbred Hereford cattle from
the plains of Texas. "And," he con-
tinued, "they never fail to realize
handsomely. In 1927, when l was in
Texas buying cattle for farmers of
Southwestern Virginia, l was prompt
ed to keep track of a herd Of 15
yearling steers which | shipped to
neighbor farmer. When bought these
cattle brought $3.50 per hundred,
and their average weight was 705
pounds. At the end of the feeding
season the average weight was l ,423
pounds, the price 13 cents per pound,
and the farmer realized profit of
$105.25 per steer, after delivery
charges had been paid. The only ex-
pense to come out of this price was
the feed, which was grown on the
farm"
Mr. Shipley was gratified at the
progress being made by the Watauga
Livestock Association in its efforts
to eliminate the scrub sire, and sug-
gested that only through intelil gent
organization could the livestock in
dustry in Watauga County return
even to it's former consequence.
Lack of pure-bred bulls in this
county," he stated, "has been al
most wholly responsible for the pres
ent low quality of the marketable
steers, and your local organization
is in position to render invaluable
service in this connection. l should
suggest that leading farmer-mem-
bers of the association join hands and
purchase a carload of line-bred Here
ford bulls. If the money is not avail
able collectively, negotiable loans for
the purpose should be made through
the banks. Replace all the scrubs
with the improved sires and the new
stock will rapidly pay for itself and
provide additional funds for purchas-
ing others when occasion demands.
A carload of these animals, in my
opinion, within five years time will
bring at least $4,000 of extra mon
ey into the hands of Watauga farm
ers."
The future prosperity of this coun-
ty, in the opinion of Mr.. Shipley,
depends not on the livestock indus
try collectively, but specifically on
the beef cattle industry. Dairying is
profitable, he says, but cannot be an
all-year paying industry here because
the condition of great many cross
country roads make the transporta-
ton of milk in the winter months out
of the question. The profits in the
beef-cattle field are much greater,
he says, ''but if you do not want
to enter the larger field, would in
sist that dairymen adopt the Guern-
sey. Holsteins are good and are great
producers, but great surplus of
milk is handled with the minimum
of butterfat. The Guernsey can be
far below in bulk production and
the content of butterfat average far
higher. Pm primarily interested in
the beef markets, but if l intended
to engage in dairying, I'd choose the
Guernsey"
Mr.. Shipley is absolutely frank in
his APPRAISAL of the cattle he has
seen while in the county; however,
he is very hopeful that the campaign
which has been started by the Live
stock Association will bring Watau-
| gas most promising industry back to
new standing, and that thereby her
citizens may be made uniformly