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IBuilds Up Dairy Business With Aladdin-Like RapidityPut Feed and Waste Products To Best UseThere was romance in the days of the pioneers when, in a prairie schooner, aman with his family entered the wilderness and carved for himself a home, after a few years becoming independent and possessed of a decree of wealth. With the passing of public lands it is generally believed that the days of quick returns in agriculture have gone and that the man who owns no land is compelled to toil largely unrewarded and that his achievement is limited by circumstances.In the case of P. E. Donnell there is a story of accomplishment here in Jasper county that should stand as an encouraging factor and an example of what can be done. There is little that savors of romance in the prosaic every-day life as the casual visitor sees things on the dairy farm operated by Mr. Donnell near Waco, but when the changes of the last two years are noted and the achievements made in almost Aladdin-like rapidity, it must be admitted that the flight to affluence from poverty made by this man is something out of the ordinary; and the stepping-stone’ has been found in the body af the good dairy cow.Now Has 103 Cows.Today Mr. Donnell owns 103 head of cattle. His milking is done by machinery— his checks come in every day of the year, the cows producing as much on Sunday and holidays as they do on Saturday or Monday. And two years ago Mr. Donnell had to figure where the money was coming to pay the grocer s bill and what little hired help was absolutely necessary. Ilis cows pay him, gross, an average of $100 a year each, and, net, $60. Thirty months ago four mules formed the bulk of his possessions of live stock.In March, 1913, the Donnell family moved onto the 640-acre farm owned by Howard Murphy of Joplin, situated in the northeast edge of Waco. He had a lease for five years on the place—an unusual advantage for a tenant in Missouri and adjacent states. He had no wiieat, but planted a large corn crop. In spite of careful attention and long hours spent in cultivation, the corn crop gave every promise of being a failure. Hot summer suns caused the leaves to turn brown long before their time and no yield of grain seemed heldIn promise.Instead of joining in the universal chorus of dismay and discouragement, Mr. Donnell bought two silos—on credit— and proceeded to place his crop in them, regardless of the fact that he had no cattle, with the exception of the family cow. In the autumn he attempted to sell his ensilage to neighbors, thus cashing in on the crop that otherwise was an entire loss. But the neighbors would not buy. lie went out of the neighborhood in an effort to sell his ensilage, but those whotwro daughters and two hired men to milkthe cows. This was costly. The Hinmanmilking machine was investigated and soon installed. This morning two girls— in their teens—milked the entire herd in forty mnutes, without the hand-cramping labor of old-style milking. A four-horse power gasoline engine runs the milker and grinds feed at the same time, while the attendants change the milkers from one cow to another. Cows that will kick when milked by hand patiently munch their feed while the Hinman milker takes the golden flow from them with a minimum expenditure of human effort. In less than one year Mr. Donnell has saved in labor enough in actual money to payEconomy in feeding dictates that every particle of feed and waste produced on the farm be put to its best use. The delay of opening a silo a few weeks in the fall enables a longer feeding period in the spring, ♦giving the grass an opportunity to get a good start attead of the cattle.Fodder is good feed before bitter cold w'eather sets in and as it will not keep it often is advisable to feed it before adding hay to the ration. On many farms ensilage is not available and hay and fodder, with a light grain ration, are depended upon tothe $250 first cost of the machine, and take the cattle through the winter.when a hired hand wants to quit he has not the club of a large herd of cows to hold over the dairyman's head.The whole milk is shipped to Joplin each morning and night. The checks are received for it each wreek and from some customers each day. Every cow in the herd frequently is tuberculin tested and the herd kept in good health as well as good production. Mr. Donnell never sits on a milking stool. He spends that time on a pony directing the work of the four men he employs as they labor in the field. The two girls feed the calves a commercial preparation costing about four cents a day each. For the milk the calves otherwise would consume the Donnell dairy receives twenty cents, a profit over the customary method of sixteen cents a day. And under the personal care of two enthusiastic girls, the calves thrive and bring added revenue to the production of the farm.Mr. Donnell has time for other things. He owns an interest in a threshing machine and has done sufficient threshing for others to pay for that Interest. He directs the sowing and harvesting of 160 acres of small grain and as much more corn and similar crops for feed. He supervises the harvesting of 160 acres of hay and cares for as much meadow pasture.The vicinity's best oats are raised on the farm managed by Mr. Donnell. Oat ground —eighty acres—already is plowed for the spring crop. The first bright days of February will see disks and harrows working on that laud, while neighbors are tediously following plows. The oats will be placed four Inches deep in a wfell packed bed before the last enow flies and at threshing time will pay Increased returns over the later sown crops.This year kafir com was used to fill the silos on this farm. After w'heat wras off, the ground was plowed and kafir planted. The corn will be used as a grain ration. Some of the kafir will be fed as hay and grain, and the proteinNo C care o: class o devote^ both e There herd o1 and ot tuiityattackswhichIn tlsen t Inoujfh should manne all lit.One experienced feeder advises the (.u..,.!, feeding of fodder before hay, as the i • ‘ • i'^‘ hay will keep while fodder stp-oils. | n “I have found it advisable to feed out the fodder before the hay,” ho said. “If the fodder happens to become damp, it deteriorates very rapidly, and one either loses it, or feeds it to his stock when there is danger of grave disorders resulting. Again,prefenwhich its ap novel pilingto it, of disifirst, when the stock come to the New fodder they are put to refuse the j)e greater portion of it because they chj have been accustomed to something pumn better. ,“I have learned that it i« very !,;** little use to feed fodder to stock on the ground if It is muddy. Stock simply will not. eat it after it once gets wet and “mussy.” With a littlebelieved ensilage valuable had their own | concentrates necessary to buy thus will sJIob and those who did not would notbuy.At this time Mr. Donnell took a day off and attended a sale. The auctioneer announced the terms as twelve months’ time without interest if paid when due. Twenty-three cows were offered for sale. Mr. Donnell drove the entire herd home with him. The succulent ensilage stimulated them to their best in milk production, and the checks began rolling in. As opportunity offered, Mr. Donnell bought other cows. He paid for his two silos. And one year from the day of the sale be paid for the cows, owning them and twenty-one calves free from debt.Milking Machines Installed.The Donnell dairy was on its feet. A cow barn was needed. Mr. Murphy agreed to furnish material for a barn, and Mr. Donnell put it up. Other Improvements ■were made and other barns built.Some months ago it required an hourcareful management, one can give at least the morning feed on dry, frozen ground. At other times, a clean, grassy spot may be used for feeding, fodder.Another important point T keep in mind when I begin feeding fodder, is to limit the quantity given the stock. 1 give them only what they will pick up pretty clean at each feed—perhaps a little less than they would like to have. Unless this is done, the animals quickly form the habit of picking around and eating only the choicest of the tender blades and the tops of the stalks, leaving pod. fully two-thirds of the fodder as clean refuse. After the stock have become clean accustomed to eating fodder, I grad-, seasoi ually increase the amount given recom them till they are bein,g given sufficient to insure them plenty of nourishment, but still keep a close watch at all times to see that they are not leaving too much refuse. The11 eacomepartsThesebean terial the plt; I lie bwin teifectanthereftreatnexpertcombeseedbe reduced.To Improve the I/and. . . .... ______________,For some time manure has been hauled I amount of refuse left ove_r at eachhis ov Pic! Spots these seeml be thror auiut* time- nittnuic «and thrown off by hand. Recently Mr. | feed must of course depend upon the,carefi Donnell purchased a spreader, and will * size and succulence of the fodder.do more for the soil by spreading it evenly and will save enough on labor to pay for the spreader in this one season.Steer calves from the dairy herd-sired by a registered Hereford bull and others by a registered Holstein bull—w’ill be fed out next winter as 3-year-old®. After that first “crop of calves there will be others to feed out each year. All are good beef stock, as only good producing “red mixed” cows are kept in the herd, with the exception of a few registered Holsteins. Poland China hogs are bred on the place and contribute their part tothe farm’s income.Had Mr. Donnell held a one-year lease his achievement wrould have been impossible. He has bullded permanently, canLange, dry, woody stalks should not be eaten as close to the butts as the smaller, more tender, juicy ones, the former being much more apt to cause serious intestinal derangemments 1 than the later.”and thirty minutes from Mr, Donnell's afford to improve the conveniences of theof an lectin and t seed lt;two i suit.If the best mill, with the best skill and a manager who says “I will ’ make the best flour out of the best wheat, then “KANSAS DIAMOND FDOURM cannot be beat.mg spottf Then on fn rotati The lings blighfarm and to manure his fields well. Tt the \ is planned to sow' alfalfa in the spring sprealt;and thus further increase the productiveness of the soil and farm. He is a fortunate tenant, not compelled to shift the scene of his labor each year or twro, and , is enabled to build permanently. He always has had the co-operation of Mr. j Murphy in his efforts and the two have set an example of wrhat can be accom- ] pllshed by the Joint efforts of landlord j and tenant. His wheat yielded sixteen j bushels to the acre, and he has f 1,500 worth of that grain on hand. His landlord is not pressing him and in this case the long-term farm lease is a success.For the landless man Mr. Donnell’s example is an excellent one. He has done as much for Jasper county’s dairy industry as any one man, not by precept or promotion, but by example. Good farming and good management, with co-operations, show what can be done, and anyone who is willing to apply himself | intelligently and who works hard can accomplish at least a measure of what Mr.Donnell has-from poverty to an lnde-! pendent degree of wealth—the land better | each year, and a permanently established business not dependent on any w’him of i fortune or world panic of war or finance.you tl “Not it.’*You ^eyes!*
Newspaper Details
Joplin Sunday Globe
Joplin, Missouri, US
Sun, Nov 21, 1915
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
MO, USA 18 Mar 2020
Other Publications Near Joplin, Missouri
Joplin Globe
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Joplin News Herald
Joplin Daily Globe
