Fur Farming: A book of Information about Fur Bearing Animals, Enclosures, Habits, Care, etc.Harding, A. R. (Arthur Robert)
History
Fur Farming: A book of Information about Fur Bearing Animals, Enclosures, Habits, Care, etc.
Harding, A. R. (Arthur Robert)
Fur-bearing animals
Had the opossum raiser, during the low prices for this fur in 1907 and
1908, sold off his breeding stock at low prices, as he would have been
compelled to do, he would not had a supply when the prices advanced in
January, 1909.
Some farmers make the mistake of selling off all their stock when prices
ease up, expecting to go into the raising again when a reaction takes
place. This is not the way to make the most money; when a reaction
comes, other farmers who have continued raising this certain animal,
reap the harvest, selling to the market or to their neighbors at high
prices.
The prices paid for the various articles shows about what the grower may
expect for his "crop." The demand, of course, will have much to do with
the price. Fashion is constantly changing but indications are that
owing to diminishing supply and increased consumption, prices will be on
a fairly high level always. Trappers and hunters often catch fur too
early and as a consequence have blue pelts which are graded down. In the
spring shedders and rubbed skins are secured which are sold as No. 2 or
lower. With the "fur farmer," there will be no early caught blue skins
or late caught spring and shedders. The animals will be killed when
"prime," and will bring best prices.
Some reports from those that have experimented in a small way at raising
fur animals is to the effect that they do not fur properly. This is true
in regard skunk, when kept in a box or a small enclosure for weeks and
fed largely on meat. The writer when a fur buyer has bought skunk that
had been kept in a "pen" or small enclosure for weeks and in addition to
being thinly furred, the hide was much thicker than it should have been.
Indians and professional hunters and trappers of the north say that they
can notice a difference in the fur of foxes, lynx, marten, etc., when
the food supply is abundant. The fur is thicker and has a healthier,
silkier and glossier appearance. The secret, no doubt, is to give the
animals plenty of room and feed should be varied. Here is where the
person who knows the habits of the animal or animals he is raising is
valuable. When cattle, sheep and hogs are fed properly they take on fat
readily and produce a healthy coat of hair or wool. The same applies to
the fur bearing animals.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account