The Cordova daily times. [volume] (Cordova, Alaska) 1914-1947, 1919-05-06

DRESSED MEATS
IS ENORMOUS

ciated Press). - American dressed
meat production, including lard,
amounted in 1918 to 20,129,8OO 900
pounds-a quantity never before ap-
preached in magnitude by the live
stock industry of this or any other
country. The corresponding figure for
1917 was 1897, 100000 pounds.
Three-fourths of this enormous in
crease was in pork and one-fourth
was in beef.
The meat surplus in 1918 was SO
great that extra export demands
made little impression on it, although
1918 export shipments of meat and
lard nearly doubled the 1917 figures
rising from slightly less than one and
three-fourths billion pounds to slight
ly more than 3 billion pounds land
these figures do not include shipments
to American military forces abroad.
The aggregate 1917 consumption of
dressed meat and lard in the United
States was Approximately IAN bill
lions, but in 1918 it rose to seventeen
and one quarter billion dollars. This
means, after allowing for increase in
population, and addition of % pounds
for every man, woman and child in
the country-despite the food cbnser-
walton campaign which in 1917 cPused
consumption to decline considerably.
while the people as a whole
through their abstinence avert@ the
immediate crisis, it was the 4rmer
who was the really big factor n the
ultimate situation" says the bureau
of animal industry, United Statfs de-
partment of agriculture. "Thf pro-
Queer, of course, was expectedtto do
his part, but he did it with sucl pow
erful effect that in single yet the
meat shortage was turned into b pro-
nounced surplus. Thus in 1918 there
was not only meat enough to supply
all foreign demands compatible with
the restricted shipping facilitieF but
a greatly enlarged quantity was avail
able for the home consumption
"To be sure, it cost the Primer
more, much more, to feed his animals
and get them to market. LikewiFe, all
other steps from producer y con-
sumer became more costly, henfe the
high prices. But the unprecedented
prosperity of the people as A1sxhole
enabled them to afford the decreased
cost In fact, laboring people prob
ably consumed more meat during the
past year than in pre-war times
"The total number of cattle
slaughtered in 1918 is estimated at
15,750,4OO as against 13,723,900 in
1917. Their average weights we're
practically the same for both years,
and the beef produced from them was
6,686,OO0000 pounds in 1917 and T.
641, 100000 in 1918. This was re-
markable achievemnt, as it hardly
would have been credited that. beef
growers could increase their produc-
ton a billion pounds in one year.
"The hog natures quickly, there
fore a much more rapid Increase
would be looked for than was the case
with cattle. Even so, the results for
1918 can be described only as
stupendous. The hogs marketed in
1918 numbered 69,S54,70O as against
57,483,8OO in 1917. Furthermore, the
average weight was 91a pounds more
per hog in 1918 Thus when the ami
mails are turned into pork and lard
we have a total production of 1,225,-
664,OOO pounds in 1918 as against g.
478,2S9,00O pounds in 1917, an in
crease of 2,747,355, 900 pounds, or 32.4
per cent, nearly one-third."
Striking. increases in exports are
ments abroad in 1918 were "a per cent
more than in 1917-the chief 1918
items being 514,0O0,000 pounds of
fresh beef and 100000 pounds Of
canned beef. Exports of pork and
lard in 1918 amounted to 2,278,2S7,O30
which was III per cent more than
the quantity sent abroad In 1917.
The bureau shows that In the ag-
gregate more meat by far is eaten in
the United States than in any other
country in the world although some
sparsely settled countries raising
much meat have a larger per capita
It also says that there
is room in the United States for 9
great expansion in the use. Of. NUT
ton and lamb.