Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1914-02-19
(Ry W. c.

II close proximity to the regions
where most of the sheep are produced
were the only factor in determining
the best location for a market, the
largest markets would be still farther
west than they are, because nearly
seventy-ive per cent. of the sheep in
the United States are west of the
Mississippi river and fifty-seven per
cent. are in the Rocky mountain
region and west to the Pacific Coast.
Shipping facilities for getting the
output of the packing houses to the
consumer have an important bearing.
Still another factor hich has a great
deal Of influence is the fact that many
sheep from the west are fattened in
the Mississippi and Missouri valleys.
Many Of these are handled twice by
the markets, first as feeders, and again
as sheep intended for slaughter. When
sold as feeders they go only a com
~paratively short distance from the
market and this is a factor hat equal
lies the seeming disparity of the
markets being too far removed from
regions of heaviest production and
really makes such places as Chicago
and Omaha the actual centers of the
sheep trade.
The great central sheep markets of
today have enjoyed a very large
growth during the last twenty years.
the number of sheep received in Chi
cago being 2.S57.253 more the last
year than twenty years before. This
growth is largely traceable to the
turning of the sheep husbandry inter
ests in the west from wool production
as a primary object. to the production
of both mutton and wool, and to the
rise of the sheep feeding industry. BY
liberal infusion of mutton blood into
their flocks. and by marketing theil
sheep at a younger age han formerly
western fockmasters supplanted
dry, i~ll-favored mutton with a whole
mand. Almost at the same time sheel
feeding. became popular. and thes,
better bred sheep of the range wer,
also better fed. A further impetus wa
thus given to mutton consumption
which has now reached the point il
many of our cities at least. where tn
only check TO liberal consumption /
the lack of the ability TO buy.
With this greatly increased activit
In the production of better mutton il
the west and in feed lot operations
the large markets have not only II
creased in volume of business but the
have also improved in their organize
ton. as may be seen in the review c
conditions past and present at the Oh
Gag market. Formerly sheep on thi
, market were not classed and graded
but were sold In mixed bands just a
they were unloaded from the car.
Often these mixed shipments wer
made up of all ages and sexes. in ever
degree OF quality and condition. TIL
volume OF business was small; mutto
was not much sought after. and henc
the need of careful discrimination va
not felt. To the commission man {
the buyer this system perhaps did M
offer great Inconvenience. PerhaI
the buyer even counted ii to his a,
vantage as ne II liNliltQ 10 ultdSul
the value of the whole offering by II
inferior individuals in it. But to II
shipper who occasionally visited Il
market. little opportunity was pr
scented by such a system to determir
the preference Of buyers. This sy
TEN gave way to one that is more G
derby and definite. The day of Il
buyer taking pot luck" on shipmen
is over. Now they are sorted into Il
different classes and grades and tn
prepared for the inspection of the bu
err. The result is a market by viii,
the man who follows his shipments
! sale may be enlightened. and fro
which market quotations may be ma
| that will be of aid to those who ha
sheep to sell.
With respect to control of receir
| so that violent fluctuations in pric
] do not occur within a short space
j time. the Chicago market has great