The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1908-10-03
Golden Egg.

General Manager of the Wood Live
Stock Company Ranges, says low
prices such as are now in effect for
sheep and lands will result ultimately
in killing the goose that lays the
golden eggs"
THE present low range of values
| for fat lambs is somewhat disturbing.
The conditions surrounding sheep
raising at this time are entirely diff
ferent from those of ten years, or even
five years ago. Formerly we had an
abundance of Free pen range; skilled
herders were plentiful and cheap;
railroad rates were much lower; what
| little hay then required could be Sc
cured at $3.50 to $500 per ton, and
cheap corn induced feeders to take
hold of our surplus stock At that
time $500 per hundred for fat lambs
looked big and was big. Today, we
face different conditions. For in
stance, through influx of settlers the
range has been greatly curtailed; tax
es are higher; shearing costs 1917
cents per head all told as against 8
cents few years ago; we paid forest
reserve fees aggregating, in some To-
calities, IS cents per head; owing to
restricted range conditions we now
feed twice the amount of hay former
} ly fed, and pay from $500 to $500
/ per ton for it; in order to hold our
, range rights we have been compelled
t to make large land purchases, the in
} terest of which makes an added
3 charge against the sheep; our rail-
3 road rate, formerly 1927 to Chicago,
| has been raised to $184; wool rates in
4 like manner; herders now command
i $50 month as against $50 and $35
4 five years ago. and the cost of board
e has nearly doubled. In no single item
t has there been decrease of expense,
. but practically a doubling all along
i the line; therefore, a six cent top
t lamb today and fifteen cent wool does
e not nearly approximate the net re-
e turn from the five cent lamb and
e twelve cent wool of few years ago.
O A superficial calculation might in
e duce one to think that there was big
n money in the sheep business, but the
C actual book balances do not bear up
the statement. One item which even
tually enters into the calculation, Is
%the cost of plant--by this mean that
a lbur breeding stock becomes old and
e deprecated, and must eventually die
10 or be sold at discount of so to II
W per cent of first cost. In addition
" there is the annual loss from death
lr poison and predatory animals
lie amounting to about 5 per cent. An
,p other element entering into the fina
le calculations, is the fact that our lamb
a ing percentages today range aroun'
ly 40 per cent as against 80 per cent for
es merly. This decrease is caused: First
by today's deficient, careless and un
skilled help. Second, because man.
of our best lambing ranges have beef
: | TAKEN UP ny 50tliCios hSoS AsNAASAA
IS grounds were formerly located alon
streams, affording good water, shelter
Sc etc. To-day we are forced on to tn
let open prairie, where water Is scarce
ed and where oftentimes 1t Is bleak an
IL cold.
de The present low range OF price
or means curtailment of production
list whic In turn means again highe
M prices and insufficient mutton to met
the demand 1t seems to me that I'll
goose that lays the golden eggs ha
fair chance to expire.
Pc The remedy would be higher prit
for strictly top killing lambs and frs
, class woods. Feeders are now sellir
low enough, and top killers too 10y
It is unfortunate that there is I
means of equally distributing the a
nual supply of lambs under the pre-
ent situation; congestion occurs du
DOL ing this month and part Of Octobe
The growers are compelled by ci
sch cumstances they cannot control, al
range conditions, to market their pr
duct practically all at once. This tel
porarily oversupplies the market a
mes the packers take advantage of the @
portunity to hammer the prices.
is practicable, and under the genel
economic law advisable; but are the
no exceptions? Is 1t wise in the ca
Use and, In the long run, will 1t pay?