The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-11-01
LIVESTOVK CONSERVATION
THOUGHTFULLY DISCUSSED


Even though one may naturally in
cline to livestock production, it re-
quires foresight, skill and courage to
turn into animal flesh grains and
fOrages at the prices that prevail to-
day.
Livestock conservation is one of the
present-day perplexing problems of
the nation. From the Atlantic to the
Pacific and from the Canadian border
to the Gulf, the permanency of our
flock and herds is question of an
ixious moment The call of the ma
ton is for grains. Not only does the
farmer desire to produce these as
patriotic duty, but the high prices that
have prevailed for month loom large
as compared with the conservative
profits that have been made in the
past years from livestock breeding and
feeding operations.
The farmers of the east and middle
west are in a state of uncertainty and
this is true to an even greater degree
in the west. Here we have had less
experience with some kinds OF live
stock, especially hogs, and we have
had less experience in the fleshing of
swine, lambs and steers for market.
Furthermore, we are much further re-
moved from the great central markets
and are not close by any means, to
west. We, on the whole then, know
comparatively more about selling the
farm products for cash and less about
disposing of the same through highly
finished animals.
There are many other factors to be
considered. There was great loss
of livestock in the IntermOuntain re-
gion last winter and feed supplies in
many districts were almost entirely
/
idly in price, about year after the
beginning of the war, hog prices re-
NAMED low until almost a year later
Feed is scarce in some sections and the
stockmen do not feel that they car
! take the risk of going long distances
and paying high prices for alfalfa anc
other feeds. In some districts pas
/ ture has been short for weeks. Those
who own livestock would gladly buy
hay to supplement the little pasture
that remains, but those who hold the
hay, in many cases, either do not care
to sell or hold for prices that seen
! somewhat out of proportion measured
with the prices that prevail for live
| stock.
What is the result then of all the
| influences mentioned above2 These
results are only what might naturally
be expected. The livestock man /:
comparatively small herd. In some dis
tricts where cattle pasture is gone, the
cattle are being sent to market. ever
if thin. Those who are without con
siderable experience and are timid lie
the livestock go at moderate price
only and plan to iOin the ranks o
those who are growing grain and ha,
| for sale at the remunerative prices
that now prevail
Tho xrrboIa r,,ovamaOt therefore. he
1 comes an unhealthy one and one tina
| will throw out of balance, the farm
Il ing system of the nation. Horses ar
being sold that will be badly needed
for work in the spring. Thousand
of cattle are going to market that ar
in far from marketable condition. IL
one week recently at Kansas City owe
one hundred thousand head of cattl
were received, which breaks all Am
erican records. Dairy COWS are beinl
sold for slaughter that will be need
ed by the nation before the conclusion
of the war The hog has become al
unfamiliar object in many sections o
the west Fortunately, due largely t
highly satisfactory prices, mutton ant
wool production have so far suffered
little from the forces mentioned above
The heavy cattle movement mean
plentiful beef in the coolers and low
prices to the producers. One of thes
days it will mean excessively higl
prices for both producer and consum
err The fact that reserve supplies o
animal food products have been pill
ing up in the packing houses and stor
age centers, in spite of world-wid
oall for American food products
dearly indicates an abnormal rush o
livestock to market The figures com
pairing storage holdings on Septembe
/. 1917 and on the same date a yea
ago are as follows:
Frozen beef, increase 1873 per cent
Cured beef, increase 61.5 per cent
Lamb and mutton, increase Sc per CT
Frozen pork increase 5 per cent.
Dry salt pork, increase 4.3 per cent
Lard, increase go per cent