PRACTICAL HERD MANAGEMENT 999 



Asked for a word as to the practical management 

 of the breeding herd he replies: 



"In regard to my method of handling a breeding 

 herd, I shall first of all tell how I would handle the 

 breeding bull. He should be kept in good breeding 

 condition. I think some breeders keep their breed- 

 ing bulls too thin. I believe a bull will sire calves 

 with stronger constitutions and better flesh carriers 

 if he is maintained in good flesh. In managing my 

 breeding bulls I kept them away from the cattle as 

 much as possible, giving them good roomy stalls 

 with small yards adjoining so they could get all 

 the exercise needed to keep them straight on their 

 legs and active. I fed equal parts of ground corn 

 and oats with a little bran and oilmeal added, and 

 fed three times day about all they would clean up. 

 But be sure that they clean it up at all times. Also 

 feed good sweet hay; I prefer clover to any other 

 kind. 



"I managed my breeding cows as follows: I pre- 

 ferred to breed them so that they would have 

 calves from Jan. 1 to April 1, except a few that I 

 wanted to have calves for show purposes. Those I 

 would breed to calve from Sept. 1 to Jan. 1. All 

 cows that would not have calves until February and 

 up to April I kept alone in a yard with an open 

 shed well bedded, so that they could go in and lie 

 down comfortably. If kept in that way they are 

 more healthy and their calves will be stronger and 

 more thrifty. Besides you save labor and feed. I 

 believe that the less you move cows around while 

 pregnant the better. Two or three weeks before 

 they were due to calve I took them up and put them 

 in loose boxstalls, and fed them liberally on ground 

 corn and oats with a small allowance of oilmeal. 

 After calving let the calves run with them for three 



