Fergus County argus., 1890-03-13
CATTLE BUSINESS.
7. L. Miller. Of Beechsr. Illinois, ON the
Subject.

cOuniTH nuS Decii uis'uSStu u. uiHer-
ent parties and from different stand
points. Without referring to these in
detail. I will say:
The winter of lSS6-7 was a disas-
trous one for cattle of the northern
ranges, destroying in many inst ances
80 per cent OF the entire herds. The
proof OF this may he mad from those
who suffered the losses; there are
plenty OF them in Chicago whom you
are well acquainted with.
These losses were heavier on COW
stock, calves and young steers. The
older and stronger cattle met with less
loss. And the current year will de-
velop the shortage from this source.
Since that time, and even before,
there was "a growing feeling that the
northern ranges were not a breeding
country, and less attention was paid
to breeding than formerly. President
Cleveland's orders removing the cattle
from the Indian Territory and the re-
moval of the fences from the ranges
were The occasion Of and led to the
of the cattle interest.
Another serious blow to the cattle in
terest of the country, both on the
range aud in tine states. was the agita.
tion as to cattle disease. There was
enough in this to require action on the
part of the authorities, but not enough
to have had any visible effect on the
trade OF the country. All of these in
iluences combined have had a tendency
to destroy confidence Of cattlemen and
capitalists in the permanent success
oi the business. Capital has been
withdrawn and cattle forced upon the
market in an unfinished condition,
and while this forcing has been cited
as condition Of overproductiOn il
has been undermining and leadingt to
shortage
Since the blizzard winter there has
been u series of dry Seasons and hard
wint erS that have been the source OF
large losses. and the present winter
has been no exception.
The southwestern and sOut hern
ranges have had their, r,lrout h and local
hard winters. ! say local, because
winter storms IN sout hern and south.
western ranges usually do not cover
large extents Of country and at the
same time are not of long duration as
a rule, but they have been subject to
very dry seasons until IL has become
sci led that they cannot depend upon |
maxim: beef.
The losses and uncert aintics of the |
range trade have produced discourage |
nents, and those who are engaged in |
he business have made no plans and |
iaNe taken 40 pains to improve the |
quality Of their cattle. The new men |
who were entering upon this work |
rom hve to eight years ago had com
nenccd to improve by putting on bet
er bulls, usual grades, but bet ter than
he average that had been in use.
since the report OF cattle disease lit
lie has been done in this direction, nn-
IL there is "a serious loss of calves for
lie want OF bulls OF any kind, and this
las been going on for five or six years
md will now begin to he felt, and that
Since the opening of the range coun-
ry to cattle-breellng catt lemen in the
tates they have become discouraged
o large extent and have neglected
he breeding of cattle for quality, until
II difficult to find cattle on the mar
at that will class from good to choice.
In fact, while there has been steady
decrease in cattle breeding, the de-
erioration in quality has been going
N still more rapidly.
From the time the cattle business
ad its center in New York, Pennsyl.
ANA, Ohio, Kentucky, and moving
rom there to new fields, it could com
land what capital it needed 70 buy.
sed and send to market; but these
ABILITIES, which were had from banks.
ave been withdrawn or so limited
hat iecders have been forced to put
heir cattle on the market before the
attic on market were ready, until
here Is not an ov-rproduction but
hortage Of cattle in this country. and
o soon as cattle breeders and the
attic buyers realize this the shortage
Ill he apparent.
The question of quality will be the
erious one to he considered
There are 1900, 900 cattle in the
ountry. other than milch cows; and
here were in 1881 $50 head to every
900 inhabitants: in 1855, 562; in
ss6, 556; IN 1887, 5lS; in 1883,
20. II this showing could he contin-
ed the decrease would show less for ,
$50, and still less for 1890. Thecon-
lnued increased receipts of cattle at
hlcagO and other point has led { O he ;
elei Of large resources from which
|,ese receipts were drawn; but it must
e remembered that these points are ,
ecominy more and more distributing ,
enters.
One may step into meat market
n the Rocky mountains and find quo
itions OF prices OF beef from one or /
lOre OF the big dressed beef houses of
hicago, Kansas City and Omaha; in
,ct, their daily quotations may be
,und on any line OF railroad from
uebec to the City OF Mexico, and
cattle IN the northwest and Key West
, the southeast.
In 1888 there were jg2 head of cat.
e to every ,OOOof population, other {
ian milch COWS; in ] $50 there were 3
81, and in making this proportion
mere H. no account taken OF the large =,
lcfease Oh exports Of 1--we cattle,
ressed carcasses and canned beef-all ,
which is outside of Americas pOpu- :
Ition.
There is n large shortage Of beef !
,ttle IN America; but should feeders v
etermine to hold the cattle now in the q
edine yards and stalls until they i
ere properly fitted for the market, q
Iis shortage would he manifest at =
nee and they would make two profits u
a feeding profit and market profit; u
r. in other words, "a profit for the
lin they would make, and profit in fl
le rise OF the market.-Chicago Tri- @
lne. 5
Requiescat in Pace. !,
sstln l-nn.- 4 4. ! d.