Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-01-04
THE CATTLE INDUSTRY.


Inc sensOn OF 1873 was memOr-
able one for the cattle industry of
Montana. While the shipments OF
cattle fell short OF those Of the season
of 1897, the price received for stock
this year averaged : per cent better
than In any year in the history of the
stock interests Of the state. Accord
ing to the report of the state board
OF stock commissioners, which was
filed with the governor Wednesday,
IT'S, ,2S5 Montana cattle were shipped
outside OF the state. About go, 900
were killed for home consumption,
making the total stock pr oduction OF
the state for the season 23S. .2S5 head
of cattle. The average price received
was $39 a head, a material advance
over last years average price. Dur
ing the year In Montana inspectors
recovered l6,O5S strays, worth $685.
600, OF which 1927, ,94S.90 was paid
through the Montana Stockgrowers'
association. The volume of business
transacted by the board was gr ater
during the season Of 1898 than In any
past year.
One of the special features OF the
business In the 1898 season was the
sharp advance In stock cattle. While
the advance I'm stock cattle was 40
per cent over 1897, there was only an
advance OF per cent In beef cattle.
The big advance I'm stock cattle was
due to the demand for feeders that
developed early in the season. Ow-
ing to the high price OF young stock,
fewer cattle were brought into the
state last season than ever before.
The stock commissioners say that
only $1,000 cattle were shipped into
the state during the year, a falling off
of IS per cent as compared with im-
portations in 1897.
While the shipments of cattle fell
short during the year, the board an
ticipates that the shortage next year
will be even more pronounced. The
shipments were made greater this
year from the fact that number of
large cattle outfits went out of bust.
ness, cleaning out their range stock
completely. For that reason ship
ments were heavier than they would
have been under natural conditions.
Although there were fewer importa-
tiOns OF stock this year than In any
other year in the history of the In
dustry in this state, II Is known that
the quality of cattle imported into
the state this year was better grade
than imported before. The commits
sioners comment with evident salts
faction upon the fact that the grade
of cattle in the state Is steadily i'm
proving. The industry il rapidly de-
veloping into stock ranching busi-
ness, and while the shipments OF
range cattle must grow annually less
than they have been In the past, it
does not mean there are fewer cattle
in the state. On the contrary, the
board says there are as many or
more cattle in Montana than ever be-
fore.
The commissioners recommend a
change in the bounty laws of the
state. They say it is the unanimous
opinion of stockmen that the bounty
on coyotes should either be taken OFF
altogether or materially reduced, as
the coyotes are responsible for very
little loss. The present bounty, they
insist, is not large enough for wolves,
and should be increased to $5a head.
While wolves do practically all the
damage to stockmen, rs per cent of
bounty claims filed against the state
are for coyotes. The commissioners
are satisfied that many coyote skins
from Canada are shipped into north
ern Montana counties for the bounty,
and they suggest this as one Of the
reasons why the bounty on coyotes
should be discontinued. The loss
from wolves is increasing rather than
diminishing, and 1t seems necessary
to provide for the prompt payment
OF bounty claims II the pests are to
be exterminated. With an increased
bounty for wolves there might not
be enough money in the fund to pro-
vide for thepaymento OF bounty claims
should the bounty on coyotes be re-
moved, and in that event the COM
missioners say the stockmen would
wish to be taxed one or two mills In
excess OF the present levy.
Many OF the local cattlemen and all
OF the sheepmen disagree with the
commissioners recommendation in
regard to the bounty. The sheep
men state that the wolves are little,
II any, menace to their industry,
while the coyotes are increasing In
number and do great damage. All
cattlemen agree that the bounty on
wolves should be increased, but ques-
tion the wisdom OF removing the
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