Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-02-05
PRODUCTION
COSTS SOAR
SURRAT SAYS
Field Agent Reports Newt
Records Established Here
and Elsewhere. /

Production costs have scared to
new high records and with the 4
ception of horse and mule values
which have slightly declined. the
value of all classes Of farm stock no.
ticeably exceed all former records,
according to the report Of A. j.. Sur
raft, state field agent. in this. city.
which deals with estimate OF numbers
and prices per head Of live stock o.,
January l, for a period covering five.
years. ! ,.3i
The most noticeable feature OF the
report is the big declines in swine
production, which has been failing
since the year 1916 with an. esti:nat-
ed number Of swine in the state at
7oS,ooo. In the following year this
number was reduced ITO 100000 end
on January 1, 1918 Mr.. Surratt.s e \.
innate lis 5O7, 600, but note, the in
grease in prices. In 1916 swine
Brought nine dollars; in 1917, thir-
teen dollars and OF January !, .91x,
twenty dollars and eight cents.
Sheep production shows an in
crease of 10000 head in a years
time; mich COWS an increase Of o.
10000 head. The ptice of sheep
jumped from $7.40 to sr1.8 from
1917 to January /, 1918; the price OF
milch COWS from $6f.5O to $50, and
the price Of horses fell from $lO6 t,
$1O2. ~
The increase in swine production
in the United\ States is given at 81
$1,000 head in the United States;
sheep show an increase Of 1,284,00O
head; mich cows, 100000; hOrSes,
$4,000 head and other cattle, 1857
900 head.
The plans of the North Dakota
farmers las spring were to continue
the practice of the last few years or
increasing the number of live ctock
on the farms, especially Of cattle and
sheep. The obligation placed on
farmers as a result of the present war
needs further stimulated their plans
Crop Was Disappointing.
Mr.. Surratt states that the 1911.
crop which followed was very dis
appointing. Due to scarcity and high
priced feed farmers in large areas
their earlier plans. Live stock mar
keting has been unusually heavy. Ex-
cepting hogs which have. decreased
20 per cent from a year ago shipping
receipts indicate that the statement
SO commonly heard about the state of
tremendous decrease in live took
numbers from last year is unwar-
ranted' with the possible exception OF
certain localities chiefly outlined to
the northwest quarter of the state.
He says that the increased Ship
ments of cattle represent more near
ly the entire natural increase for the
past year than inroads into the sup.
ply a year ago. The January report
shows a noticeable decrease in
steers of all ages, but this loss is
about Offset by the gain in breedins;
cattle of all ages. Mich cows for
the state as a whole even show a
tractive price of mutton and the tire.
mendous increase in the price OF
wool, the sheep industry is rapidly
gaining favor in the state. !"
Military Horses Few. .
The demand for horses for military
purposes has been extremely light
and on the. other hand the use of au-
tos, auto trucks and tractors is
gradually displacing the usual de-
mand for horses. The most o
aging feature of this seasons live
stock report is h unusual. effort APP
parent on the part of the stockers
breeding stock wherever possible. He
says that in many cases farmers are
periodically undergoing temporary
loss by buying high-priced feed to re-
tain their herds in order to comply
with the nations call for increased
meat production next season, and
that considering the high prices and
scarcity of grain feed it is a matter
of congratulation that the decrease
in hogs is not greater than it is. Re-
ports Indicate that that pork pro-
duction will greatly respond follow
ing the productios of even a fair
crop of grain feed. next season.