Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1917-10-26
STOCK GROWERS HAVE
BIG PART IN WAR SERVICE
Large Responsibility Facing Idaho Stockmen,
Says R. H. Smith Of Chicago Stock Yards
Many Changes in Industry.

cluding some meat exported and Inn
ported on the hoof. totaled 381, ,394,-
993 pounds; during the year 1915
our exports of meat exceeded our Inn
ports by 33,876.S10 pounds, and
in 1916 the increase was 1855, ,T69,-
799 pounds. While this is an in
crease OF over 400 per cent since 1914
II represents only half of our export
trade on meats during the years 1906
and 1907.
However, this recent increase In
our export trade came at time when
our livestock industry was just begin
ming to recover from a depleted con-
dition. Our increase In the number
OF cattle and hogs during the last
three years, as shown by government
statistics, and the larger quantity Of
meats put out by our packing plants
during the last two years, has all
been absorbed by this increased ex-
port trade. Our population has been
increasing, and what is perhaps o.
still greater factor, our factories are
running full time; wages are higns
and demands OF our own people for
meat, even at exhorbitant prices, cont
tinues unabated.
Until two years ago we bought
more dairy products than we sold td
| foreign countries. During the year
ending December 81. 1914, our I'M
ports of butter, cheese and milk ex-
ceeded our exports by 50,196,724
pounds. During the year 1915 our
exports OF dairy products-butter,
cheese and condensed milk exceeded
our imports los, $780, ,141 pounds. The
balance in our favor on dairy prod
ucts In 1916 was $35,969,614. Of
which SO per cent was for condensed
milk. On both meat and dairy prod
ucts our sales abroad In excess Of pur-
chases amounted to $293,656,901
during 1916.
while the recent increase in our
exports OF meat and dairy products
has been a factor in reducing the
supply for home consumption, 1t is
not the chief cause OF the record
breaking prices we are now witness
ling on cattle, hogs and sheep. 1t Is
rather, the light grain crop produced
in the United States and In many
other countries during the past sea
son.
"The small grain crop in the north
west was cut down one-nalf last fall
by black rust, O fungus disease caused
| Uy Ell uAubuhI pEAAbA pI hpAs E1OiBi
weather. The heavy foreign demand
coupled with the light crop. sent
wheat skyward Corn naturally fol
lowed, and the stockmen of the coun-
try were forced to curtail feeding op-
erations. Many discontinued entirely
Thousands of cars of pigs were sent
to market last fall that would have
been doubled in weight had corn beer
more reasonable in price. Cattle have
been going into abattoirs this winter
that would have ordinarily gone tx
. the corn belt feeding lots. They have
been lighter in weight and the dress
, ing percentage has been lower. re
ducing still further the volume o
dressed beef. We have never received
in Chicago SO many unfinished cattl
AS went in the past winter. What i
the cause of that? It is simply TIL
i, short corn crop.
! THE greatest menace to the live
7 stock industry at the present time 1
z the disease tuberculosis, which. &C
cording to the recent report Of tn
: secretary Of agriculture. is causin
!, an annual loss in the United State
I estimated at s25 900. 900 Dur'n
the year 1915 10000 pounds q
beef and pork was condemned as IN
: edible for tuberculosis alone, ct tn
seven leading markets-Chicago. III
! Kansas City. Mo-. Omaha Nebr.. Eaf
: st. Louis. ILL.,. st. Paul. MINI, S'ou
! City. Iowa. and st. Joseph. Mo. Thi
meat. which went to the tank. w0ui
y have fed 100000 American go
1iers for a period Of three weeks. o
y the usual American ration of on
= Mound of meat per day to each SO
= dier.
Q "The ravages of tuberculosis Al
increasing rather than declinini
y While YOU are much less trouble
= with this disease In Idaho and othf
. western states than in the east an
: middle west, you cannot be too car
: ful in making purchases of hreediT
~ stock in territory further east. whe1
y the disease is prevalent. The rece1
= regulations made by number
western state sanitary boards r
~ nuiring a 60-dav retest on nure-hrf
ei cattle shiBned into these states is
wise precautInu. and these regu1
tions are serving a. a great ince-ft'
u to breeders IN middle wnst territe
OF to get their herds cleaned nm r.
sn made eligible TO what Is known as q
=. tuberculosis-free accredited III
sc which permits interstate shipmen
without special tests. f"
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