New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1916-05-24
LIVE STOCK CLUBS
!. PROVE SUCCESSFUL
MOVEMENT HAD ITS INCEPTION
IN MINNESOTA ABOUT TEN
YEARS AGO.
MANAGER ACTS FOR SHIPPERS
WHO DELIVER STOCK AS
REQUIRED.

tons have proved so successful that,
although the first was not formed until
1908, the department of agriculture now
has list of approximately 500 that are
shipping stock in cooperative way.
About 200 of these are in Minnesota,
where the movement started, and the
remainder are chiefly in the Middle West.
The main purpose of these associations
is to enable their members to ship in
carload lots to the central markets in
stead of being more or less at the mercy
of local buyers in disposing of a few
animals from time to time. The fact
that no capital is required for the organi-
zation of such an association makes these
associations possible in communities in
which more complicated forms of CO.
operation would not succeed. How
ever, such associations are scarcely
practicable in regions where there is so
much live stock that it is generally
marketed in carload lots under any cir
cumstances or where there is so little
that the association has practically
nothing with which to work.
To organize such an association it is
necessary only for the farmers of the COM
munity to meet together, adopt simple
constitution and bylaws, to elect officers,
and, in turn, for them to appoint a
manager. It is recommended, although
it is not absolutely necessary, that the
organization incorporate. This can be
done at a nominal cost-usually not
more than $40. For this small expen-
diture of trouble and money the asso-
citation usually enables the farmer to
market his stock when it is ready instead
of compelling him to wait until the local
shipper is ready to buy it. He obtains
for himself the benefits of the cheaper
carload transportation, and the ship
ments of the association realize for the
owner the market price Of his stock less
the actual cost Of marketing. In par
ticular, it has been found that when thin
stock, calves, or lambs are sold in small
numbers, the local price is usually very
low. 1t is on this class of stock that
the associations have been able to save
their members the most money.
In order to avoid misunderstanding, it
is important that all stock be marked at
the shipping point. This precaution
prevents disputes in regard to shrinkage
and dockage and assists in making adj
justments in case of loss or damage in
transit. There are three common
methods of marking. Numbers or other
characters may be clipped in some con-
spicuous part of the animal, paint may
be employed, or numbered ear tags used. |
The last method is the least frequent
because it is somewhat difficult at the |
stockyards to get close enough to the
animal to see the number on the tag. |
If the second method is adopted, or
binary paint is undesirable, especially |
for hogs as it does not dry readily enough !!
to prevent smearing. This difficulty
may be overcome by using paint con-
tanning about one-fourth varnish. In
the case of sheep, however, painting is
because the marks will
not scour out and wool manufacturers
object to them, and branding fluid there
fore is preferable. Whatever system of
marking is adopted, the important
features are that it should be uniform
for all shipments and that the marks
should be plain and conspicuous. In
many cases hogs are not marked, but are
graded by the manager at the shipping
point. A record of those subject to
dockage is kept in such cases. Marking
is advised, however, as a precaution
against mistakes.
Since no payments are made for stock
shipped until returns from the central
market are obtained, these cooperative
associations may be formed without
capital. All that is necessary is for the
farmers to comply with their engage
ment to furnish the stock to the manager
when, where, and in such quantities as
they say they will.