Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 March 1871 — “Does Raising Calves Pay!” [ARTICLE]

“Does Raising Calves Pay!”

Of course not, A calf drinks milk when it can get it, and milk being cash at the cheese factory or the general market, here is so much loss. —If milk is wihheld, something else must be substituted, and this involves expense—another loss. It takes time to feed them, and as “ time is money” here is another Item to go down in the debtor column. Now, is it not clear that raising calves does not* pay t Buts Says one, the calf will make a cow or an ox—the one makes cheese and butter, and finally beef; the other works several years and goes to beef also. These facts must he taken into account by way of balancing the debtor column. If this is so, tile question is a frivolous one, and about as reasonable as it would be to ask, “ Does it pay to cat or live f” — This everlasting iteration “ does It pay ?” ought to be consigned to the tomb and be denied the promise of a resurrection. If calves are not raised, milk, butter, cheese and beef must soon be expunged from the gastronomical vocabulary. An interrogatory with respect to sheep, swine and poultry would be as pertinent as the one about calves, and must receive a kindred answer, w hile the human family, following the example of Nebuchadnezzar, Avould all go to grass! If this alternative is to be avoided, we must raise, calves, sheep, swine and poultry, passing by the stale cry of “ will it pay?” as impertinent and out of place. —American Farmer.