Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1917-05-25
ASSOCIATION APPEALS
TO CATTLE GROWERS

live stock interests this season and I
avoid as far as possible any contro-
versies over the division OF range
on the public domain. and to con-
serve the great range resources to /
the utmost. to the end that maxi I
mum production may be attained at |
this time.
With this view, the association is
snes the following statement, which |
is timely and may prove of benefit
to live stock growers:
General farmers and livestock
producers can do their country no
greater service than by seeking to
make their production reach the
very limit of possibility.
MEN who send to market imma-
3ture and young stock that could
carry greater weight are wasting
their country's resources. In ALI
human probability they are also
sacrificing profits they might reap.
The unprecedented prices have been
and are temptation to cash in"
while the "cashing in" is good; but
when a man sends to market under
weight and young breeding stock he
s killing the goose that lays the
golden egg. He is making II hard
er for himself and others to replen-
ish the feed lots and pastures.
ITO be sure, no man can be ex-
pected to go out and buy dear feed
to make 1900 and 17OO-pound
steers or $50 to 4OO-pound lard
hogs. but It is little less than an
economic waste at this time to send
in half-finished 1000 to 12O0-pound
cattle and $50 to 1SO-pound hogs
The marketing of strictly dairy
veal calves is excusable, but every
calf that could grow into good beef
should by all means be kept.
Sending to slaughter pregnant
cows and heifers for beef should be
absolutely discontinued, at least for
the period of the war.
In our great national emergen-
cy every man should consider. how
best he can help along. The east
est way for every owner of live stock
to do his hit" is to see that every
animal goes to market carrying as
much weight as it is practical to put
on.
I'VE are now drawing upon the
May, June and July supplies for
beef, pork and mutton.
Farming and livestock feeding is
q good deal of gamble, but there
never was time since the American
sivil war when feeder could feel
as sure of good profit in bringing
his live stock up to normal weight.
THE higher the prices for grain
the more certain is the feeder of a
profit in putting weight on imma-
ture stock.
From one end of the country to
the other there is dearth of ma
ture stock. Feed lots east, north,
west and south, are bare. Hundreds
of thousands OF sheep and cattle
have been wiped out by the almost
unprecedented severity of winter in
the west. and there is no. spot on
the map where one can turn to find
surplus Of young stock to put in
feed lots or turn on the pasture.
Patriotism alone ought to be suf-
ficient spur to induce farmers and
feeders to mature their holdings
At this time 1t seems highly proba-
BILE that such course would be not
only highly patriotic. but handsome
ly profitable.
The president OF this association
estimates that from one to two hun.
dred pounds could be added to the
weight OF the average steer and from
two to four hundred pounds to the
average COW, IL the officials OF the
national forests would permit stock
to be grazed from thirty to sixty
days later this fall than is custom.
airy, provided that owners put forth
every effort after taking their cattle
off the reserve, to finish them foi
market by intelligent and careful
feeding. If an average of one hun.
bred pounds could be added to each
animal, through the extraordinary
efforts of the growers and the forest
officials cooperating. and $4,000
head went to market this fall from
Idaho, this states meat supply would
be increased to 5000 900 pounds II
one year. and the growers would bs
amply paid for their extra efforts
This can be done If all will make 6
determined effort. 1t would be an
! easy and practical and remunerativt
way TO serve ones country in time
of great need.