The Cattleman's Pages of History

The Cattleman cover depicted “Sunset at the foot of the Davis Mountains, on the Hereford ranch of W. T. Jones, near Marfa, Texas. The Davis Mountain country is especially adapted to the production of big boned well developed cattle, and the cattlemen of that section are making the most of their opportunities.”

➤ Fred W. Davis, commissioner, State Department of Agriculture, said in a communication addressed to the farmers and stockmen of Texas, “It is not mere flattery when we say you are the most important class in the nation, in peace or in war. This is true because the results of your energy are indispensable to life itself…” Recognizing the importance of beef for the war effort both at home and abroad, as well as the anticipated reconstruction, Texas cattle raisers were encouraged to send excess cattle up north, where there was land not being utilized.

➤ In a somewhat related news item, the Philadelphia Press stated: “Since Secretary Redfield has advised people to eat whale meat instead of beef, we expect any time to see issued from his department some scientific rules for catching whales.”

The July cover featured the Charolais breed in a photograph taken by Audie Rackley. “Growing popularity of white cattle is evident in the increased numbers of Charolais and Charolais cross cattle in feedlots throughout the nation. The steers on The Cattleman cover this month were fed in the Edgar Davis feedlot near Abilene.”

➤ Tucked in between all the articles and ads about Charolais, however, were two separate announcements about triplet Angus calves.

“Identical triplet heifer calves were born May 7, on the Joe Morris Ranch of Saginaw, Texas. The Dam is an 8-year-old commercial Angus cow bred to a registered Angus bull.”

Four pages further was this report: “Calvin (Buddy) Lawlis, foreman for Ben R. Barbee at the Barbee Ranch, southwest of Stephenville, puts his arms around triplet heifers born to a three year old Angus Heifer. The calves were sired by a registered Charolais bull. The heifers were calved May 11, 1967. ❚