The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1911-06-22
Missouri Farm Management Association

permanent secretary who is to devot
all of his time to the interests of tn
Association; consequently, Mr.. K. 5
Besse was employed to begin worl
June 1st. Although his appointment
did not begin until the time stated ht
saw problem before the the farmer
in and near Columbia that he though
warranted some of his effort; conse
ouently the following proposition was
laid out before the farmers in this re-
gion:
Some of our members of the AS
sociation had some lambs to sell.
They were of excellent quality and
seemingly should bring the top of the
market, but the best prices the local
buyers would offer $3.50 per cwt. 1t
showed that this was the price being
offered all the lamb owners of the COM
munity. With the idea of helping to
relieve the situation. Mr.. Bessie Wis
tied the lamb growers of the county
and offered to ship, under the aus
pices of the Association, lambs for men
who would bring them to Columbia
for shipment May 31st. He stated TO
them that he would reserve the right
to Gull out all poor lambs at the scales
and would ship only those that would
top the market. 1t was the plan to
establish for the association if possible
a reputation in market circles that
would help in the future disposal of all
first class stock that the members had.
On the day mentioned, the farmers
who had been visited brought in 126
head of lambs, weighing from SIS to 81
lbs, with an average of about 90 to IS
lbs. According to the best figuring
that MI. Besse could do, it seemed
that these lambs could be shipped for
75c to $1.00 per cwt, and it hardly
seemed fair that the buyers should
want $500 per cwt., for their profit
and expenses, for the market was, at
the time that they offered $3.50, runn-
ing between $3.50 and SITS. I'm
fortunately, there were not enough
lambs brobght in to allow close culling
and when the shipment reached the
market % lambs were culled back, !
which would not have happened if
there had been more to select from at
the shipping point. Regardless of this
difficulty the figures show the following
l26 lambs shipped; average weight at
shipping time, &c lbs; average weight
at the market, 61.5 lbs., showing
shrink of ID lbs., in shipping about
200 miles. All except the % lambs
we're culled sold for $3.50 per cwt.,
which was topping the market 25c,
and is the highest price of the season
in St. Louis for any Missouri or Illinois
lambs. The net amount received
was $4o9.88 which is $83.53 more
than the farmers would have received
II selling to local buyers. This differ
ence allows for all expenses in gather
Ing and selling the lambs. If it had
been possible to have culled little
Closer and thus avoided the cut in the
In reduction in price received for those
not coming up to the standard, this
plan of cooperative selling would have
resulted in a profit for the falmers of
nearly 81 90 per head. Surely this is
not point to be lightly passed by, by
the one..who is interested in making
tne most out of farm operations. It
brings home to US the point that the
successful raising of our stock, or crops
Is only half of the problem, for the
successful marketing of it often means
as much or more than its successful
growing. This cooperative selling al
30 brings out another point: The man
With few gets just as much benefit from
'hls plan as the man with large mum.
Der. One farmer who brought in ID
mead made over and above what he
would have received if he had sold to
local buyers, $500
Ihe success OF this cooperative SELL
ing SURELY speaks for itself, and there
% every reason to believe that it will