The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1888-02-16
Farmers Agriculturist.l
Outlook for our Cattle Interests.

and slaughtering Of beef
,attle. The views put forth are that
Cattle Trusts are to protect ranch
interests; but from the hour OF
inception these rosy hopes seem to the
majority doomed to disappointment.
The motive of the project is readily f
found in the fact that the cattle busl-
ness has been overdone throughout
the union. The supply has grown
enormously, and there are practically
too many beeves to be fed. The
ranches have been trampled and
grazed over until the natural grasses
have been consumed, and another
spring must open before a fresh
supply of sustenance can be had for
the wild herds of the plains, and the
semi-wild denizens of the buttes of
Montana. Ranchmen became alarmed
at the low prices. They preceived
to be wrong. The leading
ranchmen, those of Montana, Wyom-
ing and Colorado-Texas, not being
SO seriously affected, was less largely
represented-came to form Cattle
Trust, in the elusive hope of recover
ing lost ground and returning to or
rather restoring the palmy days of the
cattle business. The mistakes COM
mitted by cattlemen are amazing to
the close observer Of the business; IN
truth, there is an entire absence Of
discretion which is remarkable in
many ways. The manner of supply
ing the live stock markets Of the
East is unaccountable in these ad-
vanced days, when the use of
telephones and the sending of tele-
grams for all business purposes
annihilate distance, and bring the
needs of New York to the eognizance
Of the Western shipper within a few
hours Still, with all these facilities,
the Eastern markets were oversupplied
with heavy corn-fed beeves when the
thermometer ranged close to one
hundred degrees, and such creature
as a slaughterer needs in the cool
weather of autum was never then to
be had: the supply being of coarse,
lean, grass s-fed cattle, The branding
with hot irons, practiced in the West,
is another source of loss. These
brands grow with the growth Of the
young animals, and thus, at maturity,
the hide is greatly deprecated in value.
Branding on the horns or hoofs is Of
no detriment in comparisons; but the
use Of ear marks is the proper distinct
ion.
Through the vast pasture and corn
growing regions of our land, cattle
breeding has been overdone Men
absolutely ignorant Of cattle raising,
as business, plunged headlong into
the vortex, and, as was to be expected,
many were swamped, meeting financial
ruin.
The severity Of the winter Of IS Sc
1887 depleted the range herds and
was a benefit rather than loss, in
that the pressure Of over-stocking
was reduced. 1t seems what ought to
be done with our Western and North
western herds is to concentrate the
animals sufficiently grown to be
proftably fed within the limits of the
corn-growing belt Of the Union, and
there hold them from six to eight
months; so that, when ripe for
slaughter, they could be shipped East
as required, and not as now hurried
forward pell-mell. A dangerous error
is prevalent as to the taking capacity
of the Eastern markets, quite as much
as to the grades Of quality most
salable at the various seasons of the
year. A steer is immature so long as
its fat is soft, and when such animals
are slaughtered a waste of raw
material is sustained.
Ten years ago there was short
age Of store cattle in our land; we'll
bred grades were required for feeding
in the corn districts, also herds were
in request to utilize the grains from
the large distilleries and the remains
from the glucose factories. In those
happy days the profits Of cattle breed
ing and cattle feeding were so large |
that no bounds were placed to the
Of the ignorant: not alone
did Americans and Canadians under
take the industry, but Great Britain
sent us Of her idle sons, and ranching
on a wide basis was commenced.
These same enterprises frequently
loss, instead Of bringing in
profit. This huge mistake was further
by the opening of the
Western dressed meat business with
Great Britain from the United States,
as it taught British merchants that
they could ship beef from Australia,
New Zealand, and the Plata Country,
in all of which regions beef cattle
we're to be had for song, and where
mutton might be said to have been
there being at the time no
market for it. Now carcases Of sheep
.each London, England, in excellent
condition, the refrigerating being ac-
by means of compressed
air. The volume Of the trade can be
we'll expressed when we state that one
yessel-sailing ships are used-will
,ring in cargo of 25,OOC carcases of