The progressive farmer and the cotton plant. [volume], January 17, 1905, Page 3, Image 3

About The progressive farmer and the cotton plant. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1904-1905

Image provided by: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC

                
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Live Stock and Dairy
CONDUCTED BY CHARLES WM. BURKETT,
ProfeMor of Agriculture, N. C A. A M. College, and Arl
eultumt North Carolina Experiment Station.
Inquiries of Progreulye Farmer re&den cheerfully an-wered.
'Jr.
EXPERIMENTS IN STEER FEEDING.
The Texas Agricultural Experiment Station has
now in press, and about ready for distribution,
Bulletin No. 76, prepared by John A. Craig and
F. It. Marshall, of the Department of Animal
Husbandry, on "Experiments in Steer Feeding."
Among the results of two season's work, with 118
head of steers, are the following:
1." Rice bran added to a ration of cotton-seed
meal and hulls in two out of three trials gave an
, increased rate of gain at a lower cost.
2. Rice polish added to a ration of cotton-seed
meal and hulls slightly increased the rate of gain
at the same cost. .
3. Rice hulls were not satisfatcory as a substi
tute for cotton-seed hulls as the steers did not rel
ish them.
4. Rice hulls fed with cotton-seed meal, rice
bran and molasses were unsatisfactory as the
i ij x i J j . a . r
sieera cuuiu uui ue iuuuceu xo eat a iair ranon.
5. Sorghum hay in a ration of cotton-seed meal
and rice bran gave equal results in gain to cotton
seed hulls, as one of the former results equal to
1.02 pounds of cotton-seed hulls. The daily rate
of gain per head was slightly in favor of the hulls
being 2.93 pounds as against 2.35 pounds in the
instance of the sorghum.
6. Cowpea hay was not found a3 satisfactory as
cotton-seed hulls in a ration of rice bran and cot
1 ton-seed meal as the daily rate of gain per head
was 2.93 pounds in the instance of the lot receiv
ing hulls and 2.3 pounds in the trial with cowpea
hay. A pound of cowpea hay was equalled by .94
of a pound of hulls.
7. Peanut hay was very unsatisfactory fed with
rice bran and cotton-seed meal owing to the fact
that it was very nutritive food, being too similar
to cotton-seed meal in composition to mix well
with it.
8. Alfalfa hay was a very unsatisfactory addi
tion to rice bran and cotton-seed meal ration for
the reason that it was also rich in those constitu
ents which are abundant in cotton-seed making
the ration too nitrogenous.
9. Cotton-seed meal and hulls make the most
generally fed ration in the Cotton Belt, while corn
and alfalfa hay are considered the best combina
tion in the Corn Belt. A comparison of these ra
tions becomes interesting from these facts. The
steers receiving the ration of cotton-seed meal and
hulls ate daily per head 5.7 pounds of cotton-seed
meal and 22.4 pounds of hulls and gained 2.21
pounds. With the cotton-seed meal at $20 per
ton, the feed cost of one pound of gain was 4.6c.
The steers receiving the alfalfa and corn and cob
meal ate daily per head 11 pounds of corn and cob
meal and 169. pounds of alfalfa and gained 2.53
pounds. With the corn and cob meal at 40 cents
per bushel, and the alfalfa at $5 per ton, the feed
cost of one pound of gain was 4.1c. It will be
seen from this that the cost of fattening steers
under the very best circumstances for securing
the most economical rations is very similar.
10. Molasses added to a ration consisting of
cotton-seed meal and hulls resulted in a greater
and cheaper gain from those steers receiving
it as they gained 3.11 pounds per head daily while
those not receiving it gained 2.59 pounds.
11. Yearling steers in comparison with two-year-
y
: Champion Guernsey Cow.
This champion Guern-
say cow, Imp. Princess
15479 A. G. C. C Adv. R.
No. 59, is owned by Mr.
T? ' T
water Farm, No. Easton,
Mass., and is the holder of
largest Year's Butter Fat
Record of a Guernsey Cow
in the Advanced Register
775.69 pounds. -Milk rec
ord, .14009.89 pounds. This
cut is furnished by cour
tesy of the American
Guernsey Cattle Clubh and
is one of a series, of cuts
of breed champions to ap
pear from time to time in
The Progressive Farmer
: - a
and Cotton Plant.
The Duroc Jersey Breed of Hogs.
Messrs. Editors : I see in your ad. columns an
nouncements of fine swine of many breeds, but do
not see anything of the Red Jersey hog. What
is the reason? Have they been condemned or
gone out of the country ? When I lost mine, only
about half stock, some six years ago, my stock
came very near being broken up.
J. T. MINTS.
Brunswick Co., N. C.
(Answer by Br, Tait Butler, Veterinarian North
Carolina Department of Agriculture.)
Your correspondent evidently refers to that ex
cellent breed of swine, the Duroc Jersey. , This
American breed of red hogs is the result of the
union of old Jersey Reds and the Durocs, and the
name iCRed Jersey" is, therefore, no longer proper,
although still frequently used throughout the
South. " " "
Perhaps no breed of swine has undergone more
marked improvement in form during the last fif
teen years than has. the Duroc Jersey. The large,
loosely built, coarse haired, heavy eared type of
fifteen or twenty years ago has been transformed
into a smaller, neater, and morecompact type to
meet the ideas of modern breeders. Of course,
there are yet variations in type and the coarse,
rough Duroc Jersey is still to be found, but the
breed, as a whole, is rapidly approaching the
or other animals will hardly stand to-day in the
light of modern scientific conclusions. Darkness
we know harbors dampness, disease and. germs
that are injurious to all animal life and health.
Flood the stables and barns with sun, and light
and they will destroy germs that undermine v the
health of cattle. It is so easy' to, supply light in
the barns and stables that it is a careless man who
will not give it. to his cattle. Light costs a little,
but it is one of the best disease-destroyers in thef
world.
Good drainage of the stables can likewise be
provided with practically little expense. Not only,
will this pay in the end in keeping the animals
clean and healthy, but the manurial value of the
drainage will prove of considerable importance
at the end of the winter. A slight incline of the
floor of the stables and stalls will carry the liquid
part of the manure away, and this drainage will
keep the stables in a sweet, healthful condition;
especially if the sunlight can likewise be admitted
to perform its purifying mission.
Heating artificially the stables and barns isx
something of a novelty to many, but where high-
grade cattle are kept this is becoming1 quite com
mon. However, warmth, can be supplied without ;
much expense. The first step is to. shut out every
draft in the building, and give the walls of the
stable double lining or inside padding of sawdust
or straw. If we built our stables much as we build
Berkshire and Poland China type. As a result, cold frames, with double walls and filling between,
they mature at a younger age and better sui$
modern demands.
The breeding qualities of Duroc Jerseys are ex
cellent, the sows producing large litters and mak
ing good mothers.
The breed is growing in popularity and is seen
in increasing numbers in the large markets of the
country. I believe they are well adapted to South
ern conditions. In fact, their adaptability is one
of their strong points and they are good grazers
and rustlers. -
we would have much warmer sleeping places for
the animals. . A little wise provision in this way
will make the stables comfortable in the winter,
and the sunlight in the day time will help to in
crease the temperature. .With good, warm bed-,
ding, then the most delicate animal can find com
fort in winter and in the spring its health will re
main unimpaired. n E.P.SMITH.
stroys disease germs in the human habitations,
and likewise in the quarters for animals. With
these agents always present the animals . can be
wintered with little danger of disease, and though
the winter be everso unfavorable they will not 'suf
fer from it. Naturally, it would seem that every
old steers on rations of cotton-seed meal and hulls dairyman and cattle grower would utilize these
made about the same gain at a little cheaper cost, agents, especially when they can be had without
0 Gapes in Chickens.
A long time ago I heard that where the plant
worm-Sftfid crew in the. nhinkfin vnrrl triPTA wnnlrT
Disease-Eilliocr Agencies. , , -r - . .
oe no gapes, ana ut. uonaway, ol tne JMissoun
Messrs. Editors. There are three recognized Agricultural College, tells me that there is a
agents of Nature which tend to prevent and de- good . reason for this, as from the worm-seed plant
The two-year-old steers gamed pounds per
head daily and the yearlings 2.21 pounds.
12. In feeding steers on pasture it was found
that a corn and cotton-seed ration gave better re
turns than corn alone. The substitution of 3,075
pounds of cotton-seed meal for 3,438 pounds of
corn gave an increased gain of 831 pounds on the
lot of nmeteen head
much cost. The chief trouble is that they are
too free and too well-known to attract much at
tention, i
Light, good drainage, and proper warmth are
the agents referred to, and we are gradually giv
ing them more importance in the economy of win-
This bulletin mav be "obtained by addressing tering cattle than heretofore. JThe old idea that
John A. Craig, Director, College Station, Texas, a dark barn or stable was all right for cows, horses
is made santonin, the greatest vermifuge known
We used - to have a great many cases jpf gapes
in our young fowls, but since the worm-seed grew
about the poultry houses and yard we have had
T r - m ' ' v '"
none. W.orm-seed is a weed that almost every
one has a knowledge of ; it grows from two to
three feet high, and mostly in waste or unculti
vated spots of rich land. It is not by any means
a troublesome weed, and no one need stand in
fear of . it becoming such. C. D. Lyon.
Exercise faith and it will grow. If conscious
of weak faith,: do not be discouraged, but try a
more perf ect obedience and a more active service.
Trusting increases trust. Confidence is a' general
that leads one forward in life's conflict to vic