The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1919-02-13
HORSES LAG IN MISSOURI
LIVE STOCK REPORT
Mules Increase and Sheep business
Spreads as Result of More II
Wool Gospel.

Jefferson City, Mo-. Feb. 2.-Tha,
all classes of Missouri live stock, OK
cept horses, advanced in value atte
numbers during 1918, was announced
here today in the annual live stock
report of f. A. Logan and Jewell
Mayes, of the United States Depart.
ment and State Board of Agricul-
ture. The grand total value Of live
stock in Missouri is $4o6, 862, 900, av,
eraging Sr35 for each person in the
State. and $I,48o for each of the
174.46o farms. E
The grand total Of meat animals is
9,I83, 900, or about 3 per cent, in Mis-
souri, There were 8,652,ooo, or 2.0
percent animals per person in 1918.
Never before have the values been
at such high level. The increase Is
due, in part to the high prices, but
mainly to the farmers patriotic de-
sire to meet the world needs.
The number of horses is 100000,
the same as January, 1918, and the
value per head is $o2, loss Of IS
during the year. The use of tractors
has to some extent fostered ten
dency among farmers to limit the
natural increase of horses. Sales
have been slow and draggy lately,
even with the better grade of horses
now produced. The present average
price OF colts ($47) is considered, UNI.
profitable in many sections. The to-
tai value of all horses in Missouri is
now $o5,oSo,ooo.
The number of mules is $4,000, an
increase of 1000 over one year ago.
Mules find more ready sale than
horses. hence the increase. The
class of mule colts is above past
years. The average price of mules
is $lI6, or S. per head above Janu-
airy, 1918, with total value at $43,-
$4,000 for Missouri.
There are 10000 mich cows in
or 5000 more than last
year. The dairy business is increas-
ng. particularly in the Northeast
md Ozark sections, due to the good
work OF the State Dairy Commits
'ioner and the College OF Agricul-
,ue. Much poor breeding stock has
,een disposed of during 1918, be-
ause of the droutll and lack of feed.
tut the quality, as WHOLE, has been
materially bettered. In the dairy
ections, near the large cities, much
is heard of the high prices
If mill feeds, and there has been a
endency to decrease the herds. The
verage price of mich cows is SIS
er head, a total of sos, 5000 900.
The number of other cattle, 1884,
co. is the same as last year. In
he West and Southwest consider
bic Missouri stock had to be sold
0 hold the remainder In most sec
ions the cattle have been carefully
ulled, resulting in much improve
lent in quality. The total of feed
~ steers is less than last year, and
hose remaining on farms are light |
r and Younger stock Many feed
RS Yin many sections did not fill their
eed lots because of the short corn
rop. The average value of other
attic in the State is 5000 per head,
r $S8,o3I, 900.
The number of sheep in Missouri
. 100000, all increase of $4,000
yer last year. This compares very
lvorably with five or six years ago.
he increase is due to the wartime
emanas for meat and wool. togeth-
: with the high prices. Small flocks
re appearing i'll nearly all sections
the State. even where sheep were
OF seen before. Sheep clubs of the
tate Board of Agriculture are
,reading the more sheep, more !,
DOL" gospel There is no apparent .
sposition to overstock, and the in
ease seems stable. An unusual
mount of sheep-scab, has been found
nong\the sheep brought in through I
lie public stockyards. Farmers de-
re some sort of a dog law, and say
lat in many counties land especial
the Ozarks) dogs and wolves pre-
mt the keeping of sheep. The av-
age value of sheep is $500. to-
ling S2o,3Is,ooo.
Live stock is generally healthy and
well. Water is sufficient,
e- winter has been mild, with only
,e snow covering the ground gen.
ally, and the splendid fall wheat
lsturage of 4,243,ooo acres is being
lily utilized. Scarcity of roughage
prevalent, but more corn was out
n fodder than usual, so with nor
al weather no great distress is ex-
.cted because of the shortage of
ed. ~