The Cattleman's Pages of History

We are now in the 105th year of publication of The Cattleman magazine. Each month, we take a few minutes to look back in history to find the interests of cattle raisers at the time. We have reprinted the text of these items as it appeared in the issue.

11-Nov-1917
December 1918

The Cattleman cover used a photograph of four animals looking none too pleased with their surroundings. No further information was given but they may be newly arrived at a feedlot or at a sale.

➤ Range conditions were good throughout the state. All 26 areas reported significant amounts of rain and/or snow, with good crops and cattle doing well.

➤ Murdo MacKenzie, president of TSCRA from 1901-1903, became associated in an advisory capacity with Wilson & Company in Chicago. According to Mr. Wilson, “When problems arise in the packing industry, which affect the live stock industry, we will be in a better position, with Mr. MacKenzie’s knowledge, to so shape our policies as to prove our fairness to the industry which is the basis of our industry.”

➤ The Cattleman proudly noted that “An outstanding feature of the recent International Live Stock Exposition, at Chicago, was the success of Texas bred cattle in the carlot division, winning the grand championship and first in other classes.

12-Dec-1968
December 1968

“Austin Artist Larry Smitherman has painted a snowy Christmas scene for the cover of The Cattleman this month and, in doing so, he comes by with the perennial problem of making a decision as to which tree is the right one. But this cowboy has even a bigger problem. If he chops down the tree he has his eye on, he may wish he had left it to grow on that creek bank in the years to come.”

➤ Lew Lehman, editor of Texas Hereford, wrote a prophetic column on what proved to be true, saying, in part, “The beef cattle industry has a relatively new tool at its disposal that may, in the future, mean the difference between profit and loss for any beef cattle operation.

That tool is the performance record. Every registered beef cattle association offers some type of performance records program to its members. Until recently these programs were reluctantly accepted by many of the breeders, but recent developments have turned the tide and now more and more breeders enroll their herds each month.”

➤ Have you enjoyed Shawn McCoy’s “POSTED” videos? While the world was decades away from the use of social media, John Brandon wrote a column for The Cattleman about the people and sales he visited, including thanks for the hospitality and good dinners he enjoyed along the way.

➤ Wallace Engraving, Austin, ran an ad for beautiful lithographs of some of the paintings by noted western artist, Purfirio Salinas [1910-1973]. A quote from Texas Parade Magazine read, “His is not the art of neurosis and tranquilizers, but of hot dirt under bare feet, of lonely shady oaks beckoning the hiker, of watermelons cooling in the creek…”

The “Pages of History” is excerpted monthly from The Cattleman magazine. Join today to start your subscription.

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