The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-02-24
SHOW Meat short
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
ESTIMATES THE DECREASE
Is LARGE NOW.
WE NEED lS.259,OOO MORE

Value of Live Stock ON the Farms
January 1st Is Estimated to Be
On Increase. Interesting ReVela-
tions About Live Stock Industry.
Interesting revelations concerniny
the live stock industry are made by
a comprehensive statement issued by
the bureau of animal industry of the
department of agriculture, which
shows there is a shortage of 1S,259,-
600 meat animals in the United
States.
1t appears that the total shortage
of meat animals since the census of
1910 is nearly nine beef cattle, seven
sheep and over three hogs for each
| 100 of the total estimated popula-
ton of the United States in January,
| 1914. This means that it would take
! 1890, 1000 more meat cattle, sheep
and swine than the estimates show
at present in this country to give the
present population the same meat
supply that the census of 1910 show
ed to exist.
The estimates with regard to meat
animals, that is, cattle other than
mich COWS, and sheep and swine,
indicate a steady and fairly uniform
decrease in the number of meat cat
tie and sheep and a slight increase
in the number of swine. The figures
of the present census of 1910 are as
follows:
Beef cattle-January, 1914, (esti-
mated 50 ,S55, 900; 1910 census, A.
4
per cent; average annual decrease, |
1880, 1000, or 80 per cent.
Sheep-January, 1914, (estimated)
49,719, 900; 1910, 52,44S,000; de-
crease, 2,729, 600 or 90 per cent;
average annual decrease 682 goo, or
1.3 per cent.
ed 5S,993, 900; 1910, 58,186, 900;
increase, TAT, 900, or 1.3 per cent;
average annual increase, $50, $50, or
0.3 per cent.
Total meat animals, census 1910,
ISL, 812, 1000.
Estimated number January, 1914,
144, 507, 600.
Estimated decrease, 1906, 900.
Beef cattle are 1872 per cent short
of the nugaber necessary to maintain
|
$50, 900 head.
Sheep are 11.6 per cent short, or
II 6,5a9,960 head.
Swine ere So per cent short, or
3,210,O0O head.
7 Making an indicated total short
age of meat animals since the CEN
sus of 1910 of approximately 49,
259, 900 head.
Farm Values Increase.
In keeping with the fact that the
estimates show there is actually a
decrease of 1906 900 food animals
since the census of 1910 the estimat-
ed farm value of cattle, sheep and
swine on farms on January /, 1914,
shows an increase, because of higher
prices, as follows
I Estimated value, January, 1914,
$3.50, O870O0; census of 1910, l.
534, 60O,OOO; increase in valuation,
1895, 487, 900.
The increase indicated is due to
the fact that the estimates show that
the farm value of beef cattle has in
creased from $19O7 to $31.13 a head
or 63.2 per cent, an average annual
increase of over 10 per cent. Swine
have increased in value from $9.17
to $10.40 per head or 1874 per cent.
Sheep have decreased from an esti-
mated average farm value of $4.12
in 1910 to $4.04 in 1914. This in
crease in the average value of meat
animals, however, does not necessa-
rily mean that farmers or stock rails
ers are making more, if any, profit.
On the contrary, the cost of produc-
ton has probably increased more
rapidly than the increase in the sell
ing price of live stock.
Causes of Shortage.
Some causes of shortage of meat
animals and increase in their value
The shortage of meat animals is
probably due to a number of con-
tributing causes. Some of the more
important of these are:
The encroachment of farms upon
the range territory.
The lack of proper -ange leasing
law permitting economical manage
ment and utilization of ranges.
The shortage in the corn and for
age crop due to the severe drouth in
Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma INF
1913, which caused the farmers in
those states to dispose of their meat
animals.
The decrease in the value of land |
and the increased cost of labor and /
stock feed, resulting in greatly in