Barbour County index., 1885-06-05
Live stock Dong. Now-a-pavs

"A correspondent of the Colorado Live
Stock Record writing from the Union
stock yards, Chicago, thus reviews the
business, at large. in the last issue OF
that journal: Has there ever been a
time when there was as much uncer.
talnty involved i'm the immediate future
of the live stock trade? With gOOdly
degree Of success we used to be able to
look ahead and form fair estimates, OF
supplies and demands, sometimes fOr
months i'm advance. But that was when
the country was smaller, when there
were no cattle in Montana, none of any
consequence coming from Wyoming
Nebraska, or Colorado, at least no corn
fed animals west of eastern Kansas:
when Texas was furnishing cOmpara-
lively few cattle. In fact these DAYS of
easy reckoning were when the cattle belt
was limited to small area of country.
Now how is it? There are large
guesses, but the oldest heads i'm the bus
iness are unable to strike even fair
estimate, owing to the almost countless
factors that have entered into the trade
TO make il complicated.
a great many OF the surplus young
cattle of certain sections have been
wanted to stock others, but each year,
lately we have seen certain of the old
er range sections for instance, crowded
with stock and compelled to make
heavy drafts on cattle that would not
ordinarily be shipped. Every yea
there seems TO be some new section or
territory contributed to the market
supplies of the country. The sources
of supply are steadily widening, thus
making it more difficult each year TO
estimate on what will he the harvest.
The samei is true on smaller degree of
the demand. Each year there seems
to be some new development in this
direction. The refrigerator trade opens
new and large fields for the consump-
tion of fresh beef, pork and mutton.
Then the army orders, as has been the
case this year are liable to cut quite an
important figure.
Now we are not only getting corn-fed
beeves of remarkable good quality from
nearly all the western states and Terri
tories, but are receiving slop-fed and
hay-fed animals from sections which
were never before heard from in this
way.
It is quite remarkable to see what a
growth there has been in the business
of corn-feeding stock i'm Nebraska.
within the past year or so. Sleek, corn
fed cattle, hogs and sheep, from Sec
tions which three years ago never had
anything but grass stock, are now very
common.
with the immense occupancy of new
territory each year, and the heavily
stocking Of nearly all sections, the sup
plies of stock must increase each year
in large ratio. At the same time it is
eontended 10y those who ought to know
that there is no immediate danger of
everstOcking, or rather of overproduc-
ing as the increase in the demand for
meat is greater than the increase in
supplies. One very important factor
Is overlooked by these statisticans,
namely, the fact that both in the corn
growing section, and in those where
only range cattle or grassers are raised
there isa very large gain being made in
these later years by the cattle being
sent to market earlier. In the corn
country cattle that were formerly kept
In the feeding lots until they were four
years old or more, are now turned out
at two and three. Thus it is that a
very great saving of time has been
made. Early maturity may have the
effect OF increasing the feeders profits.
but on the other hand it has the effect
OF increasing his supplies, and while it
enables him to turn over his stock very
much earlier than under the old re-
gime, in turning the stock over, he
turns it onto the market, and thus it is
that it will not do to estimate supplies
now on the old basis OF four-year-old
eorn-fed beeves and five-year-old rang
ers.
The quarantine business is greatly
adding TO the complications. 1t is
claimed that Texas will have to sell off
10000 to EOOO,OOO cattle this year in
order to get rid of the surplus. Half
OF this number was driven last year;
and many were scattered over the
northwest to be wintered. VIII they
be converted into beef this year2 If so,
there will be some cheap steak and
roast beef for consumers.