Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-01-09

pend on these favorable weather cond1-
tions.
SHOULD CONSERVE HOGS.
cit has been estimated that during
the average year between % and so per
cent of our pork crop spoils because of
unfavorable weather conditions at the
time of slaughter. If municipal abat-
| toirs, with adequate refrigerating ca
pacity, were available each producer
could, at a nominal sum, have his hogs
killed and cured under conditions which
would practically eliminate all losses.
Such plant, properly installed and
properly managed, would prove bless
ing to the community and a source of
profit to the city. to it's citizens and to
it's patrons.
We are unable at this time to give
a complete return of all meat and meat
food products shipped into the state
of Georgia during the year of 1916.
since we do not receive our monthly re-
port from the packers until about the
middle of each succeeding month.
have, therefore, complied the first elev-
en- months of 1916 for this report.
which is appended hereto. You will
observe that during that period we pur-
chased 35,O12,SOO pounds of side meats
(dry salt pork meats).
Mere figures do not seem to impress
people, and l have, therefore, convert
ed the side meat shipped into the state
of Georgia to living hogs, estimating
each hog to weigh two hundred pounds
live weight. In making this estimate
l have allowed 9 per cent of live weight
for the weight of the loins, IL per cent
for clear bellies, II per cent for fat
backs (these last named items consti-
tute side meat. shoulders 9 per cent,
hams IL 1-2 per cent, and lard 13 per
cent.
ION this basis it required 729,4S3
hogs to produce our importationS OF
dry salt pork meat. At fifteen cents
per pound this side meat cost US $5,-
251,920 Had we produced the hogs
necessary to make this side meat, the
hog crop sold at eight cents per pound
live weight would have put s11,67O,92S
in the pockets of Georgia producers.
To express the mater a little different
ly, our entire hog crop, according to
the census of 1910, was worth at that
time $5,429,016; yet in 1916, after an
intense campaign of more than five
years to encourage home production,
We still buy in side meats alone as
much as our entire hog crop was worth
in 1909. 1t would require twenty alb
battoirs with a killing capacity of
three hundred hogs day, working
twenty-four days each month, five
months each year, to kill the hogs nee
essary to supply US with dry salt side
meat.
"a point not to be overlooked in
these calculations is the fact that an
overwhelming majority Of this side
meat is consumed on the farms instead
of in the cities.
BEEF IMPORTS OVER MILLION.
During the first eleven months of
1915 we purchased S,2S5,726 pounds of
dressed cattle and beef cuts. Estimat-
ed at twelve and half cents per pound
it took s1,O35. 1875 to pay for our
fresh beef importations. Estimated in
cattle it would require 1851 head of
steers averaging $50 pounds live
weight each capable of dressing 90 per
cent to supply this demand.
1.-THE bulk of all beef imports are con-
sumed in cities having a population of
10. 900 or more. 1t is a well-known fact
that fresh meat consumption In the
smaller towns is restricted to periodic
local supply When we shall produce
more cattle and better cattle this condl-
ton will not hold good. People In the
smaller cities enjoy a fresh meat diet
as much as do their city brothers, but
under present conditions it is imprac-
ticable to keep the smaller towns and
cities supplied regularly.
"I desire to call attention to one more
Item in our meat importations, and that
is the unusually small quantity of
dressed sheep. If our information is
correct, and 1 believe it is, the demand
for mutton is restricted to leading no
tells and restaurants. When our live
stock industry shall assume a more
prosperous outlook 1 believe that Geor-
gia will again take a renewed interest
in the sheep industry.
IMPORT $50 REGISTERED BULLS.
Interstate live stock health certifi-
Gates received during the year 1916 show
that we imported ESQ registered bulls
and 637 registered cows of the beef
breeds; also 2,16S head of graded beef
cattle for breeding purposes. During
this period we imported forty-nine reg
istered dairy bulls and PSI registered
dairy COWS, and 271 graded dairy cows.
About 500 head of pure bred hogs were
shipped in; the exact figures will be
given in my subsequent and final re-
port"
CATTLE QUARANTINE LIFTED.
DR.. Bahnsens report shows that dur
ing the year the following eighteen
counties were released from state and
federal quarantine against the cattle
tick: Clayton, Hancock, Pickens, Wilkes,
Lumpkin, Barlow, Campbell, Columbia,
Fayette, Floyd, Henry, Jackson, Pauld-
ing, Walton, Lincoln, Oglethorpe and
Washington.
To this list, he says, would have been
added Colquitt, Brooks, Lowndes and
Thomas, but for the unfortunate con-
troversy and litigation arising out of
unfavorable, yet tense situations Incl
dent to the enforcement of quarantine
regulations"
Discussing the subject of tuberculosis
in cattle DR.. Bahnsen says:
During the year we tested 1858 head
of cattle for tuberculosis and found 1875
reactors. More than 4J0 of the cattle
tested had been shipped into the state
recently. A careful investigation of
some of these shipments led us to sus-
pect the presence of tuberculosis, not
withstanding the cattle had been ship
ped under the requirements of our reg
ulations; that is to say, the shipments
were accompanied by health certificate
and tuberculin test record issued by a
veterinarian who had the endorsement
of the state veterinarian at point where
the shipment originated. The largest