Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-01-06
A BAD YEAR
FOR CATTLE
Secretary Pruitt Of the Board Of Live
Stock Commissioners Files An.
nual Report.
THE CAUSE OF POOR PRICES
Corn States overorowded the Market
Cattle Shipments Show a Fall.
ing or From Last Year.

Secretary w. @. Pruitt. of the state
board OF live stock commissioners,
hled his annual report last Friday.
The report shows that this has been
disastrous year for the. cattlemen,
one Of the worst In fact ever exper.
fenced. A part of his report dealing
with the cattle situation is as follows:
Owing to the slump In prices and
the extremely unsatisfactory market
conditions, the number OF cattle ship
ped out OF the state during the year
was considered less than in former
years-especially TO the eastern mar.
kets, which were glutted with cattle
from the corn states to such an ex.
tent that the market WAS the worst
ever known. The Pacific coast mar.
ket is becoming somewhat OF a factor
with Montana stockmen-more than
three times as many cattle going
westward in 1908 than in any pre-
vious year-and the western buyers
are beginning to look to Montana for
a considerable portion OF their beef.
Eastern markets received less than go
per cent OF the total output for the
year from Montana. The total ship
ments out OF the state for 1908 ar.
gregated 1860 head-while the es.
innate for home consumption is plac.
ed at 10000. making the total output
for all purposes 2l0,573 head. or this
number the inspectors recovered H..
27o strays, while 1Sl more animals
were found and restored by the local
inspectors to the respective owners.
Out OF the total number OF strays re-
covered the proceeds of LOTT cattle
and six horses were paid through the
Montana stockgrowers' association,
while the balance were paid direct to
owners from the market points.
/. The output OF horses from Montana
was almost the same as during the
previous year-the total number In.
spected being 57,26s. The horse mar.
ket has been strong and as horses be.
come more scarce the market seems
TO be strengthening and the demand
Tor good stock is active. The horse
inspection law is enforced strictly and
the railroads will not receive any
stock for shipment without It has
FIRST been inspected by the proper of.
fetal.
Imports Into the State.
The price OF stock cattle was main.
tanned at the high prices which have
prevailed for the past two or more
years. until the beef market dropped.
so disastrously to the range men, but
Indications are that the prices OF all
kinds OF cattle will decline in sympa.
thy with the market for beef cattle.
The number OF cattle brought into the
state during the year Is slightly In ex-
cess OF the previous year or any 9TH
er year since the big year OF the efgh-
ties. We have been unable TO obtain
strictly accurate figures as TO tho
number brought In but a careful esti-
mate places IL at about $4,000 head
from all sources. Most of these cattle
we're southern steers which were,
shipped northward for range pur.
noses, and this influx of stock from
other states has resulted In greatly
over-crowded ranges in Montana,
which accounts in a measure for the
inferior quality OF beef shipped from
Montana during 1908.
The bounty law has been working
more satisfactory since It's amend.
ment by the last legislative assembly
and the bounty on coyotes was reduc-
ed-as II Is evident there Is far less
fraud under the present law than un.
der the old one. owing to the fact that
the inducement for bringing in pelts
from neighboring states Is not so
great.
The rules governing the recording
and use OF brands remain unchanged
and there continues to be an active
demand for new brands. probably due
to the rapid settlement OF the state
and the establishment OF small herds.
The Montana Stockgrowers' asso-
clation continues to be valuable aid
TO the board in furthering the work
OF protection to the live stock inter-
ests, for which the board has had oc-
casion for several years past to ex-
press its gratitude.
Stockmen generally appreciate the
good service rendered by the United
States weather bureau. particularly
during the winter season. when storm
warnings and reports of temperature
In the various portions OF the state
are OF exceptional interest.