Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-03-05
CATTLE SITUATION
IN RANGE COUNTRY
Weather Has Seen Good and
Bad in Spots and
Strcaks.
HEAVY LOSS in SECTIONS

Ransemen in Gunnison Valley and
Montrose Country Feed Their
Cattle, So Losses Will
Be Small.
A. E. Ricqles in an article written for
the Breeders Gazette gives information
regarding the cattle situation in the range
country. He says.
This is mid winter and as is usual at
this time of year, the western country,
particularly TIE range coun ny, has Mt
tie chance TO make an estimate OF how
live stock is going to pull through, ior
two of the longest months are over. THIS
winter has been n curious season. for the
wes Their has been good and bad In spots
and streaks unlike anything that has
been experienced in long number OIL
years. Good conditions and bad ones are
almost side by side For example, In the
city of Denver the weather has been all
most ideal, while forty miles east on the
plains there is q streak OF SNOW that runs
north and south for long number of
miles that has been on the ground for
nearly a month and has crusted. Cattle
through that particular streak are very
thin and many of them are dying. To
give an idea of the winter 1 Will COM
mence by states and report some intorma-
ton that has come both by letter and by
personal observation.
Colorado Has Had Storms.
In Colorado there has been a great deal
of sunshine all winter and very few bad
storms and this is true OF large portion
of the state. Such sections as North Park
and the Snake river country report UNI
usually fine weather and the side hills
uncovered; they have had practically no
very bad storms The same conditions
existed up to within n few days In the
White river country and over on Piceance
and Yellow creeks. w. III. Violet, Well
known rangeman in the White river dis
trict, wrote mo January that the south
hillsides We're entirely bare and In the
bottom of the gulches the snow was not
over three or four inches deep and that
unless the winter should get very bad the
8-year-old steers, most of the twos and
the dry she stuff would winter out. A. ID.
Crtchow. In the same section, who is
running large number of steers, reports
about the same Since the dates of these
letters. however, there has been a heavy
snowfall In that section which has been
of great benefit inasmuch as 1t will let
the cattle get out on Il certain portion of
ture for them before and viii ensure mo!s-
ture for irrigation next summer
In the southwestern part of the state,
in the Gunnison valley and the Montrose
country there has been considerable snow
ON the ground for nearly month and
there has been very tight winter since
the middle of December. 1t has been very
cold and the heaviest SHOWS of a great
number of years have fallen on the noun
taEs at Ouray and Telluride. The range
men In that section feed their cattle dur
ing the entire winter, SO practically no
suffering or loss will occur, and this
heavy snow means big crop of hay next
lear.
Bad Storms in Sand Hills,
In the eastern part of Colorado there
was q very serious storm in December
followed by another In January and there
is the only belt where conditions are very
unfavorable considerable stock having
been lost This little storm drifted In Me-
bra ska and follow "A n section of co,,ntry
up through the sand hills and along the
Elkhorn road east from Chadron. here
there has been great deal of snow that
has laid on the ground and crusted: the
weather has been very severe Elsewhere
In Nebraska there has been nothing Sc
rious in conditions to worry stockmen,
This snow belt that is north of the Elk
horn road continues UP into South Dakota
a northeasterly direction into the Pierre
district, along the Missouri river, where
there Is Il district OF deep snow that has
crusted, causing very bad conditions for
cattle.
Undoubtedly there will be n heavy loss
In the snow belt along the west side of the
Missouri river extending from about
where the Cheyenne river empties into
the Missouri south of the Nebraska line.
ms snow mas been on the ground in
places Tor more than Il month. Else
where In South Dakota west of the rivev
or in the range country conditions have
been favorable, with sections or streaks
OF country starting near the Belle
Fourche river and extending along that
slream IN AN easterly direction of about
forty miles IN width where in December
mere was severe storm. North of Belle
= ouieae a'.u M tlle Mofeau and Grallu
river country there has been practically
no slio" ana ca'tle nave suffered for
moisture.
~ oe'ii some very heavy SHOWS have
iaiieh on me nigh ranges and reports of
s 81 are coming in from around
.aiN SNS, we nope these SHOWS Will con-
.ihue SO that irrigation VIII he possible
~, year ~ some OF the dry sections that
nave h'ia 10 20 Wlthout water. 10th
i,Iaiio aho NeNaaa nave MAD pretty hard
mihtel olia JUST now trains are tied up on
- as.'4s ~ 4>s Neua ny INC
sefy aeep snow that extends west from
O ,I, Otah. California has had splen-
a.u BRASS season 'his winter, ana has TAX
...;.. . s'eas MANY ea.e'e from southern
800, 'Ae 'oa''tetn As" HAeAico 10
,,,.'. 1o me .nete mas oeeH d large
.I 1ito... y, iioiS'aie anu IL looks ilke cat
nv. NJ WIN VI M sooa eoNal.inh next spring
inis - aiso ,iue Oh southern Few Mexico
Gnu MY. iaifaihore Oh the san Simon
Soiiip'.hs writes mat ne mas LAD good