Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-09-25
THE IMPORTANCE OF MINIMIZING
OUR LIVE STOCK LOSSES.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MINIMIZING
OUR LIVE STOCK LOSSES
The population of the United States
in the last sixteen years has increased
by more than 26,O0O,OO0 or SO per cent.
In the past sI& years IL is believed that
the numbers have increased by more
than 1U.UOO.0 900 There has been no sucn
proporIionaIe Increase in the number OF
our farm animals. yet meat and dairy
products constitute 81 per cent OF the
average diet. cereals 81 per cent, sweet
and Irish potatoes IS per cent, vegela-
bIes per cent and fish per cent. The
amount OF beef, veal, mutton ana pork
available per capita has fallen from
Z4S.2 pounds in 1899 10 2ls.6 pounds In
1915. The production OF butter and
cheese per capita has fallen from $50
pounds in 1899 10 I'll pounds in lsOs.
The production OF fish. cereals and irish
potat-es mas fallen off since 1893, wnlie
poultry, eggs, sweet potatoes ana citrus
fruits have shown an increase, which,
of course, is very encouraging IN SO Tar
as IL goes. Under tine stimulus OF war
abroad and extraordinary prices, the eA-
ports OF meat products Tor 1910 VIII
probably be 100000 pounds, together
with 6O2 .O0O. O0O pounds of fats and oils
The imports OF these TWO items amount
10 practically nothing as compared Win
the exports. Hence, We lace ahOIher
danger OF decreasing our meat supply
through the demand abroad. which IL is
reasonable to suppose VIII continue uh-
I'll the end OF the war and for some
wears thereafter. This is but an added
rsasor vrbv We should develop and pro-
mole our animal industries in every pos
sfbIe way. Feverish activity on this line
Is what We need. At the same time We
should avoid a boom or speculation OF
irrational development because all OF
these things will react unfavoraoly on
the industry in the long run. Al the
same time il does not appear that the
southern farmer or the southern people
as a whole, realize the true inWaruiiesS
OF the existing situation sr fully appre-
state the opportunities which II oIiers
TO them =.
done 10 place our animal industries On
a thoroughly constructive basis Is the
complete eradication of the cattle uSA-
Commendable progress Is being haue
along this line This work was begun
), Tses through the efforts of a small
yroup Of r1en associated with southern
Agricultural colleges and experiment
stations. and il laurel wreaths were
given 10 those deservine them, theirs
would have been bestowed long ago Al
a time when every one considered the
eradication of the cattle tick cream
Of the IMAGINATION, these men lnausuT-
ated the work on a scale which demon
strated its feasibility, and through per
sIstent effort won the sympathy ana
annroyaI Of Secretary Wilson, congress
ara the federal authorities to the sup
mort OF this work. The south will never
be able TO paw the debt of gratitude II
owes TO Dr. TAFT Butler. Prof. II. A
Morgan. Prof w. r. DOdson. Prof. b.
w Kugore DIR. Cooper Curtis ana the
other men who were associated WIN
them in the inauguration OF this won
derfuI enterprise. Already ticks nave
been eradicated from 2S4.Ol4 square
miles of territory since 1906 In other |
words. over 40 per cent Of the originally |
infested territory has been cleaned ana
forever rid of this miserable parasite /
which caused losses estimated al S4o'-
coo 900 a year to the live stock owners /
OF the south In Georgia, for instance, |
nfty-nve counties are now free OF ticks 4
and quarantine regulations are being /
enforced in thirty-eight others 1t is
only a matter OF three TO nve years
until practically every one of the IN
tested states will have been cleaned up, I
and when that time is reached the south
ern stockmen ought 10 join In a grand
Jubilee of thanksgiving.
Next to the eradication OF the TICK 4
efforts should be Tr<de looking to the /
checking and elimination OF disease ana 1
parasites For instance, much can De
done toward reducing losses from nos I
cholera which amount now TO millions /.
Of dollars annually. tuberculosis can
also be controlled and in large measure
stamped out This disease causes a loss /!
In the United States of s25.0OO,OoO Il ,
year. According 10 the following table. 4
the losses of live stock in Georgia main .
IL from disease and exposure, may ne 1
conservatively estimated at S5.zi1,5zO.
The total number OF animals lost IN
the year indicated was approximately 1
7ss,4sO head. OF this number 25s4So /
were meat-producing animals. so mat
the losses resulted chiefly in cutting
down the meat supply and increasing |
it's cost to the consumer
Losses OF live stock In Georgia Tor |
year ending April !. 1916;