Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-06-24
ESTIMATE
OF LOSSES
Wide Variation in the Percentage 81
Lambs Lost in Different Sec
lions Of the State.
REPORT FROM FERGUS GOOD
Lamb Crop Suffered Along FIatwillow
But In Other Parts the Sheep
men Were Fortunate.

f1tltHd, JuuS N"t ~ PSeN
of ascertaining the views OF the live
stock men of the state upon the loss
es occasioned by the May storms, the
Record of this city wrote to numerous
owners on the ground. Among the
replies received from northern Mon.
tana are the following:
b. C. White, president OF the Buff.
falo Sheep company, Ubet-Losses Of
sheep in this vicinity will not exceed
5 per cent. except In one instance,
where unusual conditions prevailed.
The lamb crop is not up to the an.
nual average, but will average about
~ per cent. among the sheepmen here.
Archer & Nolan, Flatwillow-The
percentage of loss among lambs In our
vicinity runs from 80 to so per cent.
One party only made 25 per cent. cf
lambs out of a body of 1000. We
made about 20 per cent. and think ii
almost as good as anyone made, as
we had plenty Of sheds.
Pugsley Bros. Marias-The esti.
mate of losses in our locality is: Old
sheep, 2 per cent; lambs, As per
cent; old cattle, 2 per cent; calves,
5 per cent.
j.. T. Berthelot, Gold Butte-The
loss of lambs is about so per cent. in
this locality; also a loss of about 10
per cent. in grown sheep. These es.
Inmates relate to averages. Some
lockmasters lost more heavily than
others. In cattle losses did not ex-
coed 10 per cent. for all kinds. The
losses, with a very few exceptions, are
not serious enough TO have any effect
upon the financial ability Of stockmen,
as they are in a condition prosperous
enough to meet the loss without great
inconvenience. The storm was the
worst ever experienced in northern
Montana.
John McLaren, Chinook estimate
the loss of lambs at about so per cent,
more or less, according to size Of
bands and shelter. In stock through
the winter about 10 per cent. Some
places it is very light; in other places
rather heavy. Our loss was about 3
per cent. for the winter and 40 per
cent. for lambs.
William C. Hansen, Harlem-The
losses among sheepmen around here
last winter were 20 per cent. and dur
ing the May storm was rs per cent.
of lambs and 2 per cent. of old sheep.
Crane Sheep company, Belt-Our
loss in cattle from the recent storm
was about l per cent; that of sheep
about 4 per cent. This Is an over
estimate rather than under. The loss
to lambs in this vicinity was around
80 to 40 pes cent. On an average.
David G. Browne, Fort Benton
The loss of cattle on the range during
the recent storm a nominal, being
confined principally to cows and
calves, while In a few cases of cattle
brought into northern Montana and
unloaded during the storm there was
considerable loss . There was loss
among sheep. principally lambs, but
not great. The loss in both Is more
than compensated ny the snow and
rain. which insured a splendid range.
]. Ward Huse, Fort Benton-Would
estimate losses from recent storm as
follows: Grown cattle, 2 per cent;
grown sheep. 2 per cent; calves, 10
nor pQpf . 10 mhc An nor mint
Ellis & Runyan, Cascade-Our loss
in calves was Is per cent; lambs, so
per cent. No loss in old stock. Our
neighbors claim marking in from ~
to SIS per cent. of lambs, with not
much loss of old stock.
3. Armstrong, Armington-Sheep
losses, near 2 per cent; lambs, near
so per cent. Sheepmen are the heav.
lest losers, as the sheep were kept
in large outfits and should not be cared
for properly. In such storms two OF
three days can be withstood, but
eight or nine days were not prepared
for.
Atkinson & Bowden, Poplar-Our
winter losses OF cattle we're about 10
per cent. and sheep so per cent. The
recent storms killed only q few calves
and weak yearlings, but our loss In
lambs was heavy.
A. II. Fey, per Austin C. MacHale,
Gold Butte should estimate the loss
in this locality as follows: About SO
per cent. of the lamb crop; no loss
to speak of in native cattle; s per
cent. Of young calves.
Simpson Bros. Havre-Our actual
loss was about 8 per cent. of money
invested in stock.
John Town, Great Falls-Our loss
in grown sheep was about 6 per cent.
in lambs, about IS per cent. A few
lost more than that in lambs.
River Press Publishing company,
Fort Benton-The loss of lambs in
Choteau county will not average more
than so per cent. and that of grown
sheep and cattle will be very little
ABOVE the average.
X. ID. Phillips, Phillips-The loss Of
cattle in this section will be about 2
per cent; loss In old sheep, one-fourth
OF n per cent; loss on lambs, rs
per cent.
B. d. Phillips, Phillips-The loss of
grown sheep scarcely any; increase
in lambs, 10 to rs per cent.
Len Lewis, Lewis-In regard to the
late storm, | will say that the losses
OF stock in this part of Montana was
almost entirely confined to lambs,
calves and colts. The loss Of lambs
estimate at IL per cent. Calves and
colts would only be about the number
born during the storm. which would
be a small percentage of the crop.
II. Camern. Sunnyside-No loss Of
old sheep; Is per cent. OF lambs; no
loss Of other stock.
Sun River Stock and Land com.
pany. Sunnyside-The loss OF calves