The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-06-22
WAR MEAT
TEST of the Stockman's Produc.
tlvity Is Here; Small Farmer
as Producer of Meat.

The country's capacity to produce
cattle, hogs and sheep will be de
fined during this war in the test Nh
upon stockmen as it would never be
In times of peace, and in this parti
cular, Montana is we'll equipped to
play her part.
Stockmen who suffered heav,
losses during the past winter can con.
sole themselves with the big profits
in sight. A years effort now is
worth, in profit, what two years in
peace would produce. And aside
from the profit, the stockman who
produces is doing patriotic duty.
In the decade from 1890 to 1900
the number of beef cattle in the
country, exclusive of dairy cattle
jumped from 100000 to 5O,OOO,-
600 head-the greatest increase ever
made from one census year to the
next. Hogs made their record in
crease between 1870 and 1880, going
from 25,000,000 to 100000 head,
and the number of sheep in this coun-
try increased SO per cent between
1890 and 1900, going from 100000
600 to 60,000,000 head.
The upbuilding of the beef-cattle
population of this country has been
under way for two or three years al
ready. The official government esti-
mate of January 1, 1914, placed the
number of cattle in the country, ex-
elusive of dairy cattle, at 35, 100000
head. In three years the number in
creased to 40,000,000, though it is
yet 100000 head less than in 1900.
The range is limited. The day of
the big stockman, except those who
have acquired large acreages of graz
ing land, and certain isolated individ-
uals, is over. The small farmer must
do his part to help supply the nation
with it's ration of meat. The silo is
the solution. Every farm that has a
silo increases it's meat carrying cap
acity from 10 to 25 per cent.
Each Of the large western markets
received from 20 to 40 per cent more
cattle in April than during the cor
responding month IN 1916. Every
man who sent cattle to market, no
matter how prematurely, made mon
ey.
At the end of April the incentive
to sell was less urgent. Cheap sum-
mer feed was at hand, and owners
began to hold back lightweight cat
tie, to try to put flesh on them as
cheaply as might be. All futures
look inviting under the war status,
and the stocker and feeder market
| took on immense strength about the
first of May. In April and May 40
per cent more stock cattle were
bought at western markets, to go on
grass, than in April and May last
year. This looks like a good grass
year and summer gains promise to be
satisfactory.
Beef Cattle Short.
Good beef cattle were short in
numbers in May and will continue
short through the summer, because
there is less summer feeding this
year on account of high-priced feed.
The extensive spring and early sum-
mer feeding section in north Texas
finished fewer cattle for market in
May and June this year than in any
recent year, and did a poorer job of
finishing.
If any great Roadway is to be made
in multiplying hogs more fall pigs
must be raised. This year more than
the usual number of brood sows were
kept and bred for fall pigs after they
raised their spring filters.
MANY Brood Sows Sold.
Ordinarily many of these brood
sows would have been fattened in
stead and sent to market in July and
August, so swell the packers store of
land and side meat. Of course some
brood sows will be sacrificed that
way this summer. AS a western
newspaper put it:
"The man who killed the goose
that laid the golden egg has been
found He was at the receiving tell
er's window, depositing the proceeds
from three brood sows."
Receipts of hogs at western mar
kets so far this year show only a six
per cent decrease in numbers from
the same time last year. But aver
age weight is ten per cent short.
Daily shipments of hogs are now ar
irving at Missouri river. markets from
every western state. A few of these
range hogs are middle weights, but
most of them weight less than 10
pounds and many of them are pig
weights. Good heavy hogs out of
cattle feed lots were woefully def
cient in numbers.