, 1906-01-24

from government reports, from the re-
ports of the National Association of
Wool Manufacturers, the Boston Com
mercial Bulletin and other sources.
They are as accurate as such figures
can be made under present conditions
h government, as a rule, Classics
cattle under two heads, viz, milk COWS
and other cattle. All animals not milk
COWS are supposed to be ultimately fit
for slaughter, hence beef.
Cattle in the United States.
Milk Other
Date. cows. cattle.
January l, 1880. 1902, 900 81, 231, 900
January 1, 1905. 1872 AGA AZ, 669. 443
Sheep in the United States.
January l, 1880. 40, 765 900
January /, 1905. AZ, 170, 423
Chasing the cattle called "other cat
tie" to be beef, We find that the in
crease is startling. Beef cattle in
creased from 1880 to 1905, 1856 per
cent. Milk COWS increased from 1880
to 1905, 46.1 per cent. Sheep increased
in the same period only 10 per cent.
1SS0-Population of the U. S so, 155, 1888
lS9O-Population of the U. .62, 947, ia
190O-Population of the U. S ia, 1894, SIS
1905-Population of the U. S.
(estimated) 49,. 81, 000, 900
Increase in the population from
1880 to 1905, 61.5 per cent (nearly).
In 1880 there vas AZ 400 of a beef
for each person in this country. In
1905 there was $1,000 of a beef for
each person in this country. If each
beef animal would produce 500 pounds
of beef, in 1880 there would nave been
210 pounds of beef for each person. In
1905 there would have been $50 pounds
of beef for each person. This would
make 40 pounds more in the latter
period than in the former. If the beef
cattle had increased in the same pro-
portion as the population in the past
twenty-five years, there would now be
"a, 2S9,065, instead of AZ, 009, 443. If
The supply of cattle in the country was
sufficient in 1880. then there is a sur
plus now of 9,3S0,37S, or more than
was shipped to all the western mar
kets, including Chicago, during the
| puol gSdl. LUIS piuo Wouiu supply
the Chicago market for three years.
The increase in sheep in the past
twenty-five years was 10 per cent. If
the increase had been proportionate
to the increase in population, there
would now be 70,241,451 head; and as
there are only 45,170,432, We will have
to increase the present number over
5 1000, 900 to have the same ratio to
population that we had in 1880.
The wool clip of the United States
in 1904 was 291, 1888 ,032 pounds. We
imported the anne year ia, 742,S34
pounds, and=the importations for sew
eral years have nearly equaled this
amount. 1t is very evident that we
are not raising enough wool to supply
our own demand, but have to make
large importations each year. To pro-
duce the amount of foreign wool used
last year would require an addition to
our present fiocks OF owe rs ,000, 900
head. | wish to call your attention
to the fact that to raise enough wool
for our own use would only require
LOCO, 900 more sheep than would be
necessary to make the ratio of 1905
the same as 1880, or In round numbers
72,00U, 900 head. AS a sheep state,
Wyoming stands second, Montana
standing first. AS a cattle state, Wyo-
ming stands t~wenIy-first.
Taking the forty-nine states and ter
ritories, the average number of cattle
to each would be 1,249, 1874. Wyoming
lacks 417,554 of the average, or prac-
tically one-third below the average.
There is room for more cattle as well
as for more sheep in Wyoming, and
when more rational methods of han
ding them come into vogue, there will
be a very material increase in both.
The states of Montana, Wyoming
and Idaho INT the territory of Mex
leo have one-third of all the sheep in
the United States. Wyoming, Mon
tana and Idaho have ove one-fourth
of all the sheep in the United States.
If each sheep would furnish fifty
pounds of mutton and all had been
killed in 1880, there would have been
40.6 pounds for each person in the
country. In 1905 if all had been killed
there would only be 27.S pounds for
each person, thus showing a loss of 10
pounds per capita.
S%Iauen,er of Sheep in the Western
Markets.
Chicago, Kansas City, st. Louis, Omaha
.l,lf3,OOO
1902 1921 900
Increase in sixteen years of 397 per
cent, or nearly % per emit increase
each year. To supply these four west
ern markets each year, would require
nearly o~ne-seventh of the entire sheep
of the country.
Sheep slaughtered at thirty of the
principal points in the United States
in 1904 were 0 1897 ,035, Sheep slaugh-
tered on the ranges, by farmers, and
local slaughterers would probably
amount to 100000. Losses from dis
ease, exposure, wild animals and other
causes, say 5 per cent, or 2,25S, 500,
This would make a total of owe IA,
900 900 of sheep taken from the flocks
of the country each year, or nearly
o%ne-third of the present holdings.
All of the above goes to show thai
sheep are high because the increase
Is much less than the increase in pop
ulation. The increased consumption
of mutton is without parallel in the
history of food products. being prac
-'tically 400 per cent in sixteen years