The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-24
Decreasing Meat Supply
in the United States,

The meat supply of the United
States shows a startling decline in the
past decade. A. compilation by the
National City Bank Of New York
comparing the number of available
food animals in the United States on
January 1, 1917, as shown by the re-
cent statement by the Department Of
Agriculture, with the number on
january 1, 1907, shows a fall Of over
100000 in the number of cattle
other than mich cows and Of nearly
100000 in the number of sheep in
the period OF 1907-1917. Meantime
the population Of continental United
States has increased 100000. Thus
the supply Of cattle available for
food has decreased 20 per cent. and
that Of sheep 10 per cent. while the
consuming population was increasing
Is pei cent. Hogs are the only class
OF food animals, showing an increase.
the number of swine in the United
States having been on January 1.
1917, about 100000 greater than
IN 1907, while the decline in number
OF cattle is 100000. and Of sheep
{, 000, 900.
This large decrease in the number
Of food animals has not, however.
reduced the value of the entire group.
On the contrary the advance in prices
OF meats has greatly increased the
value Of the reduced number. The
Department of Agriculture figures, on
which these compilations are based,
put the value of the 40,849,000 cat
tie, other than milch cows, .on farms
in the United States on January 1,
1917, at $1,465, 100000 while the
value per head was Of milch cows in
1917 $3.50; all other cattle in 1907
$17.09 per head, and in 1917 $3.50;
sheep in 1907 1888 per head and in
1917 $7.14, and swine in 1907 1888
per head and in 1917H$11.73 per head.
Thus cows, ''other cattle;' and sheep
have doubled in price per head in
ten years while swine show an in
crease Sof SO per cent per head in
value in that, period.
These decreases of nearly 1900
coo in the number of cattle other
than cows, and 100000 in sheep,
have occurred during a period in
which the population of the United
States. and thus the number, Of
mouths to feed, was increasing b.
100000 the population of the United
States in 1907. having been 87,321,000
and In 1916 102.000,000. AS con-
sequence the supply of meats avail
able for expectation was greatly re-
duced, the actual expectation Of fresh
beef having fallen from 281,652,0e0
pounds in the fiscal year, 1907, to
s, 394, 000~p6unds in the fiscal year,
1914, which ended just before the be-
ginning Of the war, while Of beef cat
tie the number exported fell from
5S4,23ss in 1906, to 21,666 in 1914, the
export price, however, advancing
from a little over $40 per head to
$110 per head. OF other meat prod
ucts the quantities exported ALSO show
marked decline, becon exported
having fallen from ! 361,0QO,0OO
pounds in 1906 to- 194 900. 600 pounds
in 1914, lard from TAI, 900, 900
pounds to 4S1,000,000 pounds, while
despite the great advance in prices
the value of all meat and dairy prod
ucts exported fell from $211, 900, 900
in 1906 to $143.o00,000 in 1914, in.
creasing, however, with the great de-
maslds of, the war and the advance in
prices to- $2O0,0b0,000 In the fiscal
year, 1915, and $291,O0O. 900 in the
fiscal year. 1915.
Horses and mules show an actual
increase in number in the decade,
1907-17. despite the large increase in
transportation facilities by use of the
automobile, the number of horses
having been in 1907, 19,747,000. and
in 1917, Fl, 1860, and Of mules in
1907. $4,000 and in 1917, 4,639,-
900. The stated value of the horses
in 1907 was $1.S46.57S,000, and in
1917, $2,174,000; and of mules, $685.
O64,000 in 1907 and $548,886,OOO in
1917. Thus the average value per
head Of horses advanced from $93 in
1907 to $102 in 1917, and Of mules
from SIP per head to .$118. Thus
the value of draft animals increased
but! about 10 per cent. per capita in
the decade. while that OF cattle and
sheep practically doubled, and of
swine increased about SO per cent.
s The average value of horses and
mules has, however, actually declin-
ed in recent years, in which occurred
the great increase in the use OF
horse1ess vehicles, the: average value,
per head Of horses having fallen from
SILL in 1911 to SOB in 1917, and Of
mules from $126 in 1911 to- $11S per
head in 1917. Thus the horseless
vehicle has apparently averted an in
crease in price Of draft animals dur
ing the period IN, which the price of
food animals increased from SO to 100
per cent.