Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-07-20
MEAT SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Production Has Not Increased
With Rate of Population
Number Of Cattle in Country Now on
the Tncrease-Great LOSSES from
Disease-U. 3. Greatest Pro-
Queer and Consumer.

Thai meat production has not KEEP pace
with the increase = population ind that
its failure to dc go combin wltr ,ncreas-
ed cost OF production and diminished our
chasing power OF tho money mt mas
contributed to higher prices not onlv in
the United States but all over the world,
- stated In an exhaustiv report on the
mea' s'tuauon a. the preparation o, WI On
speo's isis o'o,c e S department o. ssn-
culture nave been ENGAGED Gov some ttmA.
This country, it - said. :. participating
in a worldwide movement and II is not
expected that the situation will undergo
any radical change in the immediate fu-
ture. On the other hand. It is believed
that there will he a gradual growth and
expansion in the worlds production of
beef, mutton and pork which may or may
not equal the rate Of increase of the meat
eating population.
In America this gradual expansion ap-
pears to have begun already. Between
1907 and 1913 there WAS a marked decline
In the number Of cattle in the country but
in the last two years this has not only
stopped but has given way to a percepti-
BILE increase The estimated number on
farms and ranges on January I. 1915, ST.
441.m0, is, however. still much below
the corresponding figure for 1907. H.
5S4,0oO With the exception of temper
airy checks due to losses from hog
cholera. there has been in recent years
persistent increase in the produc-
ton Of swine. On January 1. 1916,
the number in the country was esti-
mated at 6S.oO0.000 as compared with
5s.200,000 in April. 1910. On the other
hand. the number Of sheep declined
during this period from b2,50O,O 900 in
1910 to 100000 in 1916. AS the de-
crease. however. Is not sufficient to
offset the increase in cattle and swine.
it may be said that the total produce
tion Of meat in the United States is
increasing but that this increase is
not yet proportionate to the growth
in population.
The available supply Of meat would
be much greater II 1t were not for the
enormous losses caused by disease and
exposure. Since 1900 1t is estimated
that from 100000 to 1,475,ooo cattle
have died each year from disease and
from 100000 to 100000 from exposure.
With sheep. the losses from disease
have been about the same, but from
exposure much larger
With swine the relative prevalence
OF hog cholera Is perhaps the deter
mining factor in the annual loss. In
1884 this was as low as 100000, but
IN 1914 1t amounted to 100000. If
these 100000 hogs had been saved, It
Ia said. they would have produced
enough meat to furnish every family
IN the United States with 4 pounds of
pork.
Despite these facts the United States
remains the greatest intoxicating as
well as the greatest meat producing
nation IN the world. Approximately
twice as much meat is consumed in
this country as in Germany before the
war and the total normal consumption
In Russia. Great Britain and France ia
less than in Germany. The per capt.
ia consumption is also far greater in
this country than anywhere else with
the exception of Australia and New
Our own exports now consist largely
or pork and pork products and these
are derived to great extent from
corn. In the fiscal years 1914 and
1915 we imported more fresh, chilled.
and frozen beef and mutton than we
exported. and moro beef Of all descrjp-
tions was imported in 1914, than was
exported In this limited respect we
have Joined the great majority. Prac-
tically the whole Of the worlds export
trade in meat is maintained by nine
ountries-Argcntina. Australia, Cana
da. Denmark. Mexico. under normal
New Zealand, the United
States and Uruguay.