Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-10
TO BE MADE POSSIBLE
BY IMPROVED METHODS
Winter Feeding and Winter Rasturins
on Alfalfa and Cultivated Crops
Means Proposed For Increasing Out
put Of Beef and Mutton-Cost Will
Be Somewhat Higher.
Special to Times-Republican,

range states OF the west, put tnat TINS
increase is likely to be accompanied
by an increase in the cost of produc-
ton. are the chief conclusions OF a
report on Live Stock Production In
the Eleven Far Western Range States
which the department of agriculture
has just published. This report is one
of the five sections Of the exhaustive
report on the meat situation i'll the
! United States, in the preparation OF
which the department spec .alists nave
been engaged for some time. 1t dis
(, chsses the reasons for the long de-
cline in meat production in the west
and explains why there is reason II
believe that this is now thing of the
past. In addition it includes detailed
studies of the present cost Of produc-
! ing steers and lambs.
| Range Reduced.
Between 1910 and 1914, the year in
which the investigations on which the
/ report is based were made, the num-
! bers of live stock in The eleven states
of Arizona, California, Colorado, ldaho,
Montana Nevada, New Mexico, ore
gon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming,
declined about 13 per cent. For this
decline the report holds the settlement
Of public lands and the consequent re-
duction of the range primarily respon-
slble. A number of other causes have
contributed to the downward move
ment, but it is pointed out these have
been more than offset by high prices
and therefore more profitable orange
animals, and the general agricultural
development which have favored pro-
! duction by leading to a more wide
spread adoption of thep ractice OF WIN
ter feeding and winter pasturing on al
falfa and cultivated crops.
To Give Way. to Increase.
The prediction that this decrease
will hereafter give way to an increase
is based upon the belief that the
amount of livestock on farms and
homesteads will be greater in the
future, that the stock ranges in the
National Forests will continue to I'M
prove, that the carrying capacity OK
the stock ranges on the public domain
may be increased by legal regulations
and finally that high prices of range
animals and better methods Will result
in a more efficient utilization of the
availab BILE forage, or, in other words,
greater production per unit OF forage.
In 1914 it was estimated that no
more than 80 per cent of the new set
tiers had more live stock than was
necessary to supply them with work
and mich animals. The situation in
this respect, however, was changing
even then, and the movement for the
production of more live stock may D.
expected to continue because both
market and agricultural conditions
make this Indispensable to really sue
cessful farming. The change will Do
/ gradual it is said. and only few heao
of stock will be added to the farm, but
ultimately and in the aggregate the in
crease will be greater than that which
is likely to be accomplished in any
other way The problem for the states
and the national government 1t Is
said. is to aid in the change by work
ing out system which will make
agriculture profitable.
Range Capacity Can be Enlarged.
I. In addition to this increase in the
numbers of farm stock, there is little
doubt that the carrying capacity OF
/ the existing ranges can be greatly i'm
| proved. This has been demonstrated
in the National Forests where i'm
proved methods and regulation have
increased the capacity of many ranges
from Is to 80 per cent. This process
should continue for at least ten years
more and should result in building up
the carrying capacity of the national
forests as a whole by perhaps Is per
cent.
If similar control could be exercised
over the public domain outside of the
forests, it is estimated that the capa-
city of these ranges could be increased
about 80 per cent. About half of this
would result from the improvement IN
the range itself after overstocking
and premature grazing were prevented
| and natural reseeding facilitated. The
remainder would follow water develop
ment, the construction Of fences and
the introduction of methods of handl-
| ing stock which are out of the ques-
ton as long as the improvement OF
, conditions on the range merely pro-
vides an incentive for new men to
crowd in and undo by overstocking
| whatever good has been accomplished.
The carrying capacity Of these ranges
! has greatly diminished in the past and
under the present system there is no
reason for supposing that it will in
crease in the future.
! Greater Economy Essential.
! Other factors, though, of less i'm
portance, that should tend to increase
/ the future production of live. stock are
greater economy in the use of forag :
both on the range and on the farm, the
use of more and higher grade bulls and
better management of the breeding
animals through the year. The. last
two, it is said, offer the possibility OF
increasing the calf crop five or ten per
cent and the average weight of a two
year-old steer perhaps thirty pounds.
Where winter feeding Is practiced
1t is believed that yearling steer will
cost approximately $50 and a long
two year-old s45. In the range sec
! tions of the southwest, on the other
! hand, the costs may be estimated at
4 from SIS to SO for a yearling and
J frmo $40 to $25 for a -year-old
With sheep there is similar variation
! In California the cost Of producing a
! lamb is placed at $1.55. in the South
west at $1.71 and in the Northwest
at $1.S2. In considering these figures
J 1t must be remembered that they may