Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-14
CATTLE AND OUR POPULATION
ENOUGH CATTLE TO GIVE EVERY
MAN A ROAST.
OF GOOD SIZE. TOO. FOR EVERY
DAY IN THE YEAR--wHAT SAL
MONS FIGURES SHOW - OUR
BEEF is OF BETTER QUALITY
THAN 1T WAS FORMERLY.
WASHINGTON. April 10.

Dr. Salmon, CHIEF OF the bureau OF
animal industry, is preparing instruc-
lions to agents in accordance with Sec
rotary Mortons directions to investl-
gate the case OF the high price OF beef
products and what influence the trust
has ON the prices. The inquiry will be
carried ON at Chicago, ST. Louis. Kan
sas City, Omaha. Nebraska City, Sioux
city. Hammond. Ind. and other points
where the bureau has force OF ex-
perts.
DR.. Salmon has heretofore made an
Inquiry in this direction. and his re-
port on Conditions governing the price
OF cattle gives some views applicable
TO the present inquiry. lie says
'rhe estimated number OF animals
from which the beef supply supply IS
drawn gives but little idea as to
whether this supply has increased more
rapidly than the demand or whether,
on the other hand, 1t has diminished
Our rapidly increasing population and
our export trade must be constantly
borne in mind IL we wish to hold clear
views on this important subject At
the ilrat approximately accurate census
OF cattle In 1850 there We're 167 cattle to
the 1000 population. This number in
creased in 1850 to SIS. showing a large
stock OF cattle on hand ut that time.
In 1870, partly from the effects OF the
war aud partly from an underestimate
OF the number OF cattle In the country
by tne census OF that year. we find the
number OF cattle reduced 10 CHS per
1000 population. Ten years later the
number iuNpannaA la a M.
tent of 10 and reached 73S.
In 1881 there is nm Increase or per
1000. From 1881 TO 1889 the Increase is
Ia per 1000. from 1882 to 1888 the in
crease Is 10 per 1000, being the largest
apparent increase IN any one year.
from 1883 % 1854 the Increase 10 IA per
1000; from 1854 TO 1856 1t rs 10 per 1000;
reaching the highest point since 1860,
or 500 cattle per 1000 population. From
1889 TO lo69 there was a steady falling
on In cattle, there being 15S to every
1000 population In 1889. In consider
ing the proportion OF cattle 10 pupula-
ton and drawing conclusions as to
relative beef supply IN different quar-
tcrs, the fact should not be overlooked
that there has been n great change
within the last twenty years In the
character OF steers that have been sent
to market,
New aud better blood has been in
fused into the old stock and the result
Is that steers are marketed young,
weigh more and yield a larger proper
ton OF carcass than formerly. The
beef supply obtained from given
number Of cattle 10 considered larger
than 1t was few years ago. The In
creased number Of cattle to 1000 OF
population does not therefore repre-
sent the whole increase in the beef
supply which has taken place since
1870. There is In addition an Increase
resulting from early maturity, size and
quality which can only be estimated
with great difficulty and uncertainty.
1T has been evident from the receipts
OF cattle at the lending stock yards OF
the country that "A very large number
of such animals hnvo been marketed
In proportion TO the stock on hand.
and this has been one OF tile leading
factors which operated to decrease the
price OF steers At the decline In
prices the profits In cattle raising have
been greatly reduced. and In many To-
calltles this Industry has been con-
Quoted at n positive loss. The incvita-
bic tendency has therefore been to sell
of the stock and reduce the business.
and consequently the propOrtionate
number OF cattle marketed has been
much greater than during the years
1851 to 1881, when the industry was
paying and the stock on hand was
being Increased. For this reason the
markets OF the country have not felt
the influence of the reduction OF the
stock of cattle in proportion to the
population which the tables plainly
show has occurred and which must
continue at an Increasing rate from
year to year. The tendency of prices
with cattle VIII be probably TO advance
within the next year or two QS99) on
account OF the improbability OF In
creasing the stock OF cattle as rapidly
as the population Is nugmcnting, but
this advance VIII be slow and uncertain
for number Of years. II will be two
years before the stock OF cattle has
been reduced TO the proportion as COM
| pared TO the population which existed
In 1874. and then the mean price OF
steers was but Si.25 per 100 pounds. or
10 cents less than In 1889.
'In other words, the price OF steers
for several years in the future win de-
pend more on the price of hogs. upon
| the value of the exports OF cattle and
| beef products and upon the proportion
OF steers marketed than upon any
changes likely 10 occur In the number
| OF cattle per 1000 OF population sxlstlng
| In the country"
The latest cattle statistics Il the sg-
| rioultural department wore furnished
| by statistlcian Robinson. February ]
| last II says:
| THE decrease In tho number of oxen
and other cattle since the estlm ate for
January. 1884. has been very marked
1t amounted TO 2.4sd,952. or 10 per
cent. OF last years number. The esii-
mate for 1895 makes the number OF
such cattle 3i.3Gl.2lG, against sG.GOs. 1gs
in 1894.
accompanying this considerable de-
cline In cattle. there has been falling
off IN the value per head. The decline
in the per capita value has been from
siA.G6 In 1894 to slf.OG this year. a de-
crease OF co cents.
The decrease IN the aggregate value
Is from $3.50. 7s9,747 to s4S2 1893. l24. OF
S53.79O6iG."
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