The Washington times., 1915-05-22
livestock Production
OF America Increasing
Prices Having Turned Upward After Long Period of
Depression, Agricultural Experts Think Move
ment Is on Foot to Raise More Cattle.
BY JUDsON c. WELLIvER.

view Of the calf. Efforts are making to
are also useful for beef.
This being accomplished through the
use Of such stock as the Holsteins and
the milking Shorthorn strains, 1t Is cal
culated that the calves from dairy
heards Will have a new value; 1t is even
possible that these dairy herds of the
East may In the near future send their
surplus OF young stock to the corn-rais-
Ing country, to be fed and perfected as
meat, precisely as the Western ranges
have long been sending feeding cattle
TO the corn territory: Thus the deficit
be made up. and more. by the use of
the dairy herds as sources Of new sup
plies.
The number Of mich COWS in the
maytely In proportion to the population
because milk is a staple absolutely nee
essary In the cities.
Only 100000 Here.
In 1880 there were only 15,ooo.0oO milch
cows In the country; in 1913 these were
reported as almost 21.o0O.0oo. But the
increase In their number was not SO I'm
portant as the betterment Of their quail
ity; while the number grew about one
third. their value increased about 25O
per cent, because the cattle have been
improved. are better milk producers,
and the business has been made far
more profitable.
Tho quest of a dairy COW that will
also be good meat animal is coming to
be OF the greatest Importance to the
meat business of the country. Even in
the more sparsely settled West the
growth Of cities and towns constantly
to maintain more and more animals for
milk purposes. That the male calves.
and the superannuated COWS Of these
milk herds shall be profitable for beef
purposes is of utmost importance; and
the agricultural leaders of the country.
in the Department Of Agriculture. the
colleges and experiment stations. are
realizing the fact as never before.
Ranges More Active.
Finally. along with all these sources
for increased supplies Of meat animals.
there is the assurance that the ranges
themselves are going to turn out more
stock. They were over-grazed for a
long time. their grasses tramped out by
cattle and cropped too closely by sheep.
But tho art Of restoring them has been
learned by tho men who have been man
aging the Governments great forest re-
serves: and with this kind of manage
ment extended to the rest Of the range
area OF the plain and mountain States.
II Is expected that the numbers of range
stock will grow rapidly.
This depletion Of the numbers Of cat
tie In the range States has been q most
serious aspect Of tho whole livestock
business. In 1910 the census found over
&c. 900 900 head Of cattle. sheep and horses
In the seventeen range States. Com.
paratively few of these were finished In
the range country: they were largely
shipped away to the corn States to be
fed Into killing condition. When, there.
fore. the drop in numbers on tho ranges
became marked, IT was q grave condi.
ton FOR the feeders and for the big
markets.
Can Be Restored.
But now 1t ia known that the RANGES
can be restored. The forest reserves
include many millions of acres Of lands
chiefly useful for range purposes, and
on these. by reason Of careful manage
ment. careful Limitation and distribu.
tion Of the number Of stock pastured
and attention to scientific methods O,
caring for the land. the number OF
cattle and sheep Is now being increased
Three hundred millions Of acres OF
range lands of general similar character
constitute the public range outside OF
the forest resffves. Application Of the
same prudent methods to these will be
possible after the passage of a proper
law FOR leasing range privileges; ant
this law is considered almost certain tc
pass at the next session Of Congress
Within few years thereafte the pub.
lie land authorities are confident the,
can restore the number Of range ami.
mails to the figure that has been reached
In the past, and from that time forth
can even increase 1t steadily.