The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-07-06
MEAT PRODUCTION.
Is Not Keeping Pace with Demand IN
United States.

That meat production has not kept
pace with the increase in population and
that its failure to do 50, combined with
increased cost of production and dimn-
ished purchasing power of the money
unit, has contributed to higher prices not
only in the United States but all over
the world is stated in part one OF the
exhaustive report on the meat situation
in the preparation OF which specialists of
the United States department opagricul-
ture have been in a worldwide move
ment and it is not expected that the sit
uation will undergo any radical change
in the immediate future. On the other
hand, it is believed that there will be 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 ting pop
ulation.
In America this gradual expansion ap-
pears to have begun already Between
1907 and 1918 there was marked de-
cline in the number of cattle in the coun
try but in the last two years this has
not only stopped but has given way TO
a perceptibe increase The estima ted
number on farms and ranges on January
/, 1916 81 AL 900, is, however, still much
below the corresponding figure for 1907,
1884 900. With the exception of tenn
porary checks due to losses from hog
cholera, there has been in recent years
a persistent increase in the production
of swine. On January |, 1915, the num-
Der in the United States was estimated
at 68,000,000 as compared with 5S,000.000
in April, 1910. On the other hand the
number of sheep declined during this
period from 80 100000 in 1910 TO $4,000
900 in 1915. As the decrease, however, is
not sufficient to offset the increase in
cattle and swine, it may be said that the
total production Of meat in the United
States is increasing but that this in
crease is not yet proportionate to the
growth of population.
The available supply Of meat would
be much greater if it were not Tor the
enormous losses caused BY disease and
exposure. Since 1900 it is estimated that
from 100000 to l.475,000 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 determining
factor in the annual loss. In 1894 this |
was as low as 2,2O0.0O0. but in 1914 il /
amounted to 100000. II these 1000 |
600 hogs had been saved. it l. said they I
would have produced enough meat 10
furnish every family in the United 1
States with 40 pounds of pork
Despite these facts the United States
remains the greatest meat eating as well .
as the greatest producing nation in tho
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 Is less than IN GER
many. The per capita consumption Is
also far greater in this country than
anywhere else with the exception Of Aus
tralis and New Zealand
Our own exports now consist largely
Of pork and pork products and these are
derived n a great extent from corn. In (
the fiscal years 1914 and 1918 we import
ed more fresh, chilled and frozen beef
and mutton than We exported and more /,
beef Of ell descriptions Was imported IN
1914 than was exported In this limited
respect We have joined thee greater ma
iority. Practically the whole 81
the worlds export trade in meat Is
BY eight countries Argen- {
tina. Australia. Cauads Denmark. Mex
co. under normal conditions. New Zea-.i
and, the United States and Uruguay. Z