Evening star., 1950-02-26
Notes
on
Livestock
By Don Henderson

~ Ss-A AAAAAASADSAy 4oA A1C1 SldI
County agent, has extensive farm
operations at White Post, Va. and
Is an active head of the Valley of
Virginia Sheepmen. He has per-
suaded his associates among the
purebred flock owners to spend
some of the treausury's money on
publicizing for expansion. Know
ing that commercial flocks mean
purebred ram demand, they will
carry through their policy from
this angle. -.A
A commercial beef herd, with
homegrown heifers BETTE than
their mothers and a good bull, may
be OF any breed, SO long as there
is herd Improvement. The worst
enemy the purebred man has is
he who continually slurs other
breeds. This man should be eau
toned by his fellow breeders.
There are many successful farm
ers and stockmen who started as
farm hands, then became renters
and finally owners. There are
more of these men than is usually
believed. They did not arrive at
such success by marrying the
farmers daughter either. Tenacity,
sagacity and industry brought it
about.
Mechanized farming is helping
hold young men on the farm. They
are mechanically minded, like to
tinker with bolts more than to
handle curry comb and brush.
Keep Good Producer Cows.
A successful operator of feed
er calf project turns out 125 calves
each year. A neighbor stated, HE
has many $40 cows which he
bought out West. He has always
used good bulls. His calves sell at
prices with the best"
The lesson learned is that when
a cow is good producer, keep her.
During her lifetime she has III
probable harvests. The payoff is
considerable and such harvests will
stand a big market drop.
The commercial beef herd owner
must consider the milk factor in
his cows. Early milk is shown in
the difference between good and
choice calves on sale day.
The herd owner should practice
calfhood vaccination. Many buy
ers retain heifer calves to i'm
prove their grade herds. Freedom
from Bangs is a must to them.
Dehorning is a proper step for the
herd owner to practice. If he does
not breed them off, he should de-
horn at an early age. Buyers are
becoming more conscious of this
asset.
Proved bulls to be disposed of
carry a stigma, by reason of their
very usefulness. Buyers say, 1--WE
will not look at him, there must
be something wrong or the owner
would not SELL"
Good Buy Just the Same.
Such animals are usually sold
to prevent inbreeding. Their
calves are in the fields for your
inspection. His price is probably |
beef plus 10 per cent. # you want
a good calf crop, he is a surer buy
than a young and untried bull.
Crosses of all beef breeds are
most acceptable to the feeder calf
buyer. Such pens should be uni
form in type, color and weight.
Buyers look at the color at feeder
calf age. The beef buyer pictures
the carcass on the hook. with the
hide off.
The use Of scrub bulls is dying.
When men realize certain prac-
tees are unhealthy and unprofl-
table, they ultimately eliminate
them. Bulls are not used merely
to make a COW freshen, the har-
vest from the calf is too substan-
tial. The bull is responsible for
half that harvest. Prices of today
warrant decent expenditure.
The Southdown ram is to flocks
what the Angus bull is to herds.
Smaller animals at lambing or
more quality in the fin
ished product.