Montana farmer-stockman. [volume], May 15, 1950, Page 8, Image 8

About Montana farmer-stockman. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1947-1993

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
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Members of the panel which led the discussion on herd and ranch manage
ment problems Saturday morning were (sealed, left to right) R. G. Johnson,
Bozeman, range management specialist, Montana Stale college; Lester Thomp
son, Bozeman, Thompson Hereford ranches. Mitchell: Dan Thornton. Gunnison,
Colo., breeder and Colorado state senator; William Spidel, Roundup, 1 of the 10
line of principles in the management
of herd bulls.
He indicated that through an ex
tensive program of land leveling, re
seeding and irrigation of mountain
meadows he would be able to carry
a herd of 1,000 head on about 1,000
Leveling and drainage of
acres.
meadows had increased hay produc
tion on test plots from 1% tons to
3% tons per acre.
Grass Reduces Cost
Thornton re-emphsized that in
creased production of grass is one
of the chief means of reducing op
eration costs. He conceded that one
problem of irrigated pastures was
the likelihood of washiness of feed.
He was meeting this and getting an
extra boost in grains by giving his
calves on pasture access to dry hay
and straw.
Later in the discussion, Johnson
indicated that another problem in ir
rigated pastures was development of
a surplus in the spring when growth
was faster than a reasonable full
season stocking of cattle would
handle. He mentioned that Martin
on his ranch at Stevensville had
solved this by clipping the surplus
and putting it up as grass silage at
a cost of 90 cents a ton.
Bull Master Factor
In discussing management Thorn
ton declared the herd bull to be the
"master factor of the herd." First
of all the bull must be healthy, he
stated. To assure this maximum
health and vigor he recommended a
careful health check twice a year,
before the bull is put out with the
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Members of the marketing panel pictured here are (seated, left to right) Forrest
Bassford, Los Angeles, editor. Western Livestock Journal; Errol Galt. Great
Falls, president. First National bank, and treasurer. North Montana Hereford
Breeders Assn.; Crawford-Frost; Paul Swaffer, field secretary, American Here
cows and again when it is brought in
in the fall.
Prior to the breeding period the
bull should be put mi a feed of good,
leafy hay and oats to build vitality
but not to over fit.
Female Herd Management
The panel discussion was opened
by Lester Thompson, Bozeman. As
a major point in the management of
the female herd he stressed the need
for strict culling and selling all
which do not measure up to stand
ards of good type, as good mothers
;md good milkers. And by selling, he
emphasized that he meant actually
turning them over to the butcher,
and not just selling them to a neigh
bor as a breeder.
William Spidel, Roundup, one of
the nation's leading producers of
Basic Principle
Polled Herefords, declared the basic
principle of good management is not
to overstock and to lay in feed sup
piles for emergencies. Properly
managed, he asserted, there are no
marginal lands in the raising of
Herefords though there may be mar
"And keep your fences either up
or down," he advised. "At least,
don't let your animals go through
them. If you have a rogue, butcher
her before she ruins your whole
herd.'
ginal operators.
In the final analysis, Spidel com
eluded, all matters of size, type and
management must depend upon the
individual's circumstances and his
personal nature.
Lyman Brewster, Bimey, prom
—Montana Farmer-Stockman Photos
largest Polled Hereford breeders in the nation; Lyman Brewster, Birney. com
mercial ranch and chairman of the Montana livestock sanitary board, and Fulcher.
Standing is Curtice Martin, Stevensville, head of the Curtice Hereford ranch,
• oldest continuous Hereford herd in the nation, who served as moderator.
inent commercial operator and chair
man of the Montana livestock sani
tary board, emphasized the value of
preventive measures in maintaining
herd health. He pointed out that
there are many preventive vaccines
for specific diseases and that proper
nutrition will greatly control most
other diseases by maintaining nat
ural resistance.
There are few if any new live
stock diseases, he declared. Most of
the diseases now known were af
fecting livestock even in Biblical
times, he said, and most of our so
called new diseases are merely reoc
currences brought on by our more
intensive production methods.
Urges Testing
Brewster's comments were sup
plemented in more technical aspects
by Dr. H. F. Wilkins, Helena, state
veterinary surgeon. He urged that
all breeders have their herds tested
for tuberculosis and brucellosis.
Though he reported that there are
no cases of mange now in Montana,
he did charge that all cases that
have occurred have been brought in
by purebred cattle and urged that
all breeders use great care in check
ing new stock for possible infesta
tion.
care they use in testing all their
purebred animals for possible dis
He congratuated breeders on the
eases but deplored their inconsis
tency in failing to be just as careful
about animals used as nursing cows.
Failure to check these cows, he
warned can nullify the care used on
the purebreds.
Fulcher, who had also participated
ford Assn.; Hayes Walker, Kansas City, publisher. American Hereford Journal:
John E. Rice, Sheridan, Wyo., one of nation's largest Polled Hereford breed
ers, and Larry Gill, Billings, livestock editor, Montana Farmer-Stockman. Not
pictured is Walton Thorp, Britton, S. D.
in the panel discussion Friday, pref
aced his remarks on the fitting of
show and sale cattle with the admis
sion that many operators now feed
ing purebreds would do better to
put the same time and money into a
commercial operation.
In fitting for show, it is the little
things that make the difference, he
said, and mosty these reduce to hard
work and love of cattle. He listed
three principles for success in show
ing and selling: Have the right kind
of cattle, do a good job of fitting and
do a good job of merchandising.
Calf Management
Mitchell, also a member of Fri
day's panel, discussed management
of calves from preweaning to breed
ing age. He pointed out at the start
that his own procedures would not
fjt those of the northwest, since he
can in New Mexico follow a full
pasture program, feeding no hay.
He stressed the need, however, of
maintaining the growth and develop
ment of the calves at a high level.
MERCHANDISING PANEL
Merchandising of registered and,
to a certain extent, commercial cat
tle is as important a consideration
and should stimulate the same
amount of thought and effort as any
other one phase of the cattle produc
ing industry.
Moderator Robert Lazear of Wyo
ming Hereford ranch, Cheyenne,
Wyo., drew this conclusion as a re
and merchandising panel.
We must sell our customers with
sult of the discussion brought forth
by the members of the marketing
(Please turn to page 46)