The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-12-19
THE SHEEP INDUSTRY
It Yielded This State Four and a
Half Million Dollars
Last Year.
THIS COUNTY LEADS
In Price Of Wool and Billings Is the
Second Shipping POint-1n-
teresting Statistics.

The annual report of the state board
of sheep commissioners for the fiscal
year ending Nov. 30. was submitted to
Governor Smith last Saturday. 1t
shows the shefp industry to be in a
prosperous oohditioE The industry
yielded about k4fs00.ooo in the value
of the wool and sheep sold, the wool
income alone being estimated at
SO, 900, 900. The report says that
March last there were 8, ,6Ol, 1888 sheep
III the state; during the year 217, $50
were shipped into the state. The
yield of lambs was 1909, ,972 and $685..
AL sheep were shipped to other states
or Slang ghtered in the state. The total
amount Of wool sheared in the state
was 28, 400, ,89a pounds. t0rwhioh the
average price d l8. a5s'6ents per pound
was received. TIE highest price was
receievd in Yellowstone county. The
largest amount of wool sheared in any
one county was in Choteau, 4.537, $40
pounds. Fergus county came next.
1888, ,049; Custer third, 2,701, $40;
Meagher fourth, 1875, 900; Teton fifth,
1855, 300; Yellowstone sixth, 1914
5l1; Sweet Grass seventh, 1,203,425;
Cascade eighth, l.027,410.
The different counties disposed OF
662, 707 pelts since March last, at AL
average price of 81 cents per pound;
Yellowstone county sold "a. 887 pounds
at from to II cents.
The reports says that 25,074 sheep
we're destroyed during the year by
wolves and coyotes. the loss in Yellow.
stone county being placed at 1900
head. On account of the spring rains
the feeces we're light, and although 2
cents per pound better price was real
ized, the decreased weight making the
profit to tho sheepmen but little better
than the previous year. The report
oritioises the action Of the state board
Of equalization in regard to the valua-
tion placed upon sheep Of 81 per head
higher than in any other state.
The expenses Of the commission for
the year were 8,088, of which nearly
81 900 was expended for inspection.
The receipts were %, 838, as compared
with $2,388s the previous year, and
there is now S5, $50 in the state treas
ury to the orsdit Of the sheep inspector
and indemnitys~fnnd. The sheep Of
Montana were assessed at $500, 944,
or an average Of 81. 801s per head.
In conclusion the report says: Re.
liable statistics show that there were
&, 600, 900 pounds Of wool marketed at
Great Falls this season, probably
100000 pounds at Billings and
2,500.000 pounds at Big Timber, or
more than one.half Of the entire clip Of
the state at these three markets. Esti.
mating the wool product of the state at
not far from 20,000,0 900 pounds, and
the average price at 16 cents per pound,
would indicate something more than
%, 100000 received from that source.
From the lamb crop and sales of mutt
ton half as much moraplnight be added,
making the total,yie1d something near
"a, 100000. Though Montana may be
regarded as healthy country for
sheep, no general disease having made
it's appearance since the introduction in
1870, and no such destructive droughts
have been experienced az in Australia,
yet with thes best care, attention and
shelter, with feed for seasons of storm,
there is considerable loss occurring.
Wolves and coyotes levy continual
tribute, many die from eating poison
ous weeds and many more in untimely
storms and sudden floods and from pill
ing up and smothering in cold storms.