Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-10-17
Danger OF Meat Fanine Is Seen.

A bulletin issued Saturday last by the
Department of Agriculture contains the
most thorough analysis of the situation
confronting the people of the United States
in regard to their meat supply that ever
has been prepared. The departments ex-
perts can see no possibility of relief through
shipments of beef from Canada, Mexico,
Argentine or any other country. Prices,
in their opinion, are bound to continue up
ward unless improved methods are adopted
by the meat producers of the United States.
Among the proposals for relieving the
situation by far the most interesting is the
establishment of public abatt0irs. as in
many European countries, Through these
public slaughter houses many of the mid
dlemen, it is asserted, would be eliminated,
local markets would be created for the
small farmer and the so-called beef trust
would receive blow. Other remedies lie
in more economic methods of stock raising
on the farms and the improvement of
waste lands for pasture purposes.
James M. Pickens, of the United States
Bureau of Animal Industry, summarizes
the situation in the bulletin in part as fol-
lows:
THE high cost of meat is serious reality,
and it is now obvious that the rise in prices
in recent years is the result of an actual
shortage in production. This condition is
reflected in the per capita consumption of
meat in the United States, estimated to
have fallen off 10 pounds in four years. 1t
is evident that the country is facing an
era of short production of meat and that
some constructive means must be adopted
If the American appetite for this class of
food is to be supplied
THE decline in beef production is
especially marked. This is shown by the
number of cattle and the number slaugh-
tered. A decrease in the market receipts
and in the slaughter with a correspond
ing increase in the number remaining
in the country would not be alarming
ing but when with diminishing slaugh-
ter, we are depicting our stock of cattle.
there can be no doubt of the gravity of the
| situation.
IN the last six years the number of beef
cattle in the country has apparently fallen
off over 80 per cent, while population. of
course, increased. According to estimates
of the Bureau of Statistics, of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, the beef cattle in the
country on January |, 1907. numbered
| 5l,566,000. and at the beginning of the
present year the number was only &c.
100000. Meanwhile the number of dairy
cows has remained practically stationary.
THE receipts of cattle at six of the prn-
cipal livestock markets Chicago. Kansas
City, Omaha, st. Louis, st. Joseph, and
Sioux City-fOr the first nine months of
1913, as reported in market journals, were
very slightly in excess of the receipts for
the same period of 1912, but in COMPARE
son with 1911, there was decrease of
nearly 10 per cent.
THE slaughter of beef under govern
ment inspection, which covers more than
half of the total slaughter Of the country.
shows a steady falling off since 1910. the
total decline amounting to over 100000
carcasses, equivalent to about 100000
| 900 pounds of dressed beef. Applying
the ratio of Federally inspected slaughter
| to total slaughter, according to the census
figures for 1909, this means falling off
of l. l9.00O cattle, or approximately $780,
100000 pounds of beef. in the entire
slaughter of the country from 1910 to 1913.
with our diminished production in the
face Of the heavy demand and high prices
of the home market, we no longer have a
surplus for export and 1t is no wonder that
our export trade in meat animals and pro-
ducts has declined heavily. Our once great
trade with England in cattle and fresh
beef has vanished, and the only consider
able items now shipped to foreign markets
are prepared hog products, such as bacon,
hams and lard From 1904 to 1906 our
exports of live cattle Appropriated 60O,-
900 head annually. For the last fiscal
year, 1913, they numbered only 24,74.
about One-tenth of which went to Great
Britain.
while future imports may afford some
la
not be placed upon this source Of supply
A study of the statistical situation in 0theA
countries does not disclose where we are
likely to obtain any large quantity of beef
for an extended period Besides our nearest
neighbors, Canada and Mexico, the aources
of imports are practically limited to South
America Especially Argentine) and Aus
trala, New Zealand exports large quaint
ties of mutton, but very little beef. Cana
da and Mexico do not at present give pro-
mise of substantial assistance. The num-
Der of beef cattle in Canada is only about
one ninth of that in the United States, and
shows a steady decrease, amounting to
over II per cent. in the last five years.
b. H. Rawl, chief of the Dairy Division
Of the Bureau of Animal Industry. holds
that the chief hope for solution OF the
problem lies in the small farmer again
turning to the raising Of stock, as he did
before the packing houses, with artificial
refrigeration, put an end to local butcher
ing. But before the farmer will under
take to raise stock. he must be assured of
a local market.
The department tells the farmers how
they can cooperate TO solve the meat prob
lem. The department believes that the
output of meat on the average farm can
be increased by the prevention OF waste,
by the use Of more economical methods,
and by the increase of production. The
bulletin goes into detail as to what the
farmers ought TO do.