Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1889-08-01
The Cattle Business.


The cattle business is in a predica-
ment. Who can find the remedy,
other than IS being applied. and cut
at the root OF these low prices Does
any One doubt the condition of the
cattle interest. h- can turn 70 his
friends and neighbor>. cattlemen. who
one and all have either lost money by
FEEDING stock through the winter or
have Just managed to rest ore to their
bankers.ihe money they had or had
borrowed five or six months ago. Men
who own their farms and ranges. who
have bought cattle with their own
money and have wintered the cattle
ON grass that was paid for long ago,
have made no money. and AT best can
strike but sorry balance sheet.
The immediate remedy has been
sought for among the most intelligent
of the >tockgrowers without finding it .
One suggestion follows another, and
all are useless, because the entire cat
tie raising interest is made up OF par
iicles unable to agree upon any line OF
action and impossible to act together
IL u line Of action could be arrived at.
The consequence is that the depres-
SION IN cattle values seeks itsown rem
ely by the same route the sheep inter
est Travelled to reach restoration oi
profitable values. This process was
short and sharp. sheep owners re-
fused to iatten their sheep by other
feed than grass refused tn breed their
ewes, shipped their sheep to market
regardless OF the result, preferring to
abandon n business that promised
othing but reverses. Theconsequence
was that the reaction was in proper
fiOn to the sacrifice, and those who
We're enabled to hold on to their sheen
are now receiving the compensative
returns brought about by the sacri-
fees OF at hers.
rhs cattle business is undergoingthe
same process in "a modified form, and
u commenced. as near as we can con-
lcture, full two and "a half years ago
The statistical experts have not Yet
discovered that cattle are decreasing
in number. neither have the markets
shown signs OF any shortage. but the
sacrifice is evident to all who are con
Nersant with the beef raising terrific.
ries and those who continually exam
inc the receipts at the markets. The
result is only question OF time. the
only uncertainty being as to the period
necessary to make the turn.
The comfort the journal can offer
for the cattle raiser's consideration il
IN the assertion above given that
sacrifice has been going on for about
two and a hall years, that it is the
only remedy for the present troubles
in fhe cattle business. that it will have
a beneficial influence directly the de.
crease becomes evident to all who are
interested. TO expose the situation
in plain terms, however, it is neces.
sary to observe that before next spring
it 10 unlikely that any material change
will take place. In summer. fall and
early winter cattle are made int O some
sort OF beef with grass alone, and are
sold before the expense OF corn feeding
begins. The usual way to dispose Oi
these cattle is to load them upon the
markets before expenses beyond sim
pie pasturage are incurred This is
the way with many OF the farm cattle
and with nearly all the range cattle.
The time to show the change from
heavy to light supplies is in the spring
when everyth hing sold includes a double
investment. including the feed and care
during the winter.
The remedy, such as it is, is working.
but the brightest lights OF the cattle
industry including buyers, sellers and
commission men, cannot tell the exact
time it will have the desired effect.