Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1919-07-24
MEAT PRODUCTION
SMASHES RECORD
Twenty Billion Pounds Is Total
for United States in
1918.
Farmer Was Big FACTOR

{ Output Never Approached in Maani-
tude In This or Any Other Country
striking Increases in Elk
ports Are Shown.
Washington. - American dressed
meat production, including lard,
amounted in 1918 to 2O,129, 100000
pounds-a quantity never before APP
preached in magnitude by the live
stock industry of this or any other
country. The corresponding figure for
1917 was 1887 100000 pounds.
Three-fourths of the 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 eN-
port shipments of meat and lard nearly
doubled the 1917 tigure-rising from
slightly less than 1,75O,OOO,OOO pounds
to slightly more than 3,OOO,OOO,OOO
pounds-and these figures do not In
clude shipments to American military
forces abroad.
The aggregate 1917 consumption of
dressed meat and lard in the United
states was approximately 145OO,OOO,-
OOO pounds. This means, after allow
Ing for increase in population an addi-
ton OF 70 pounds for every man, WON
an and child in the country-despite
the t0od-cOnservation campaign which
in 1917 caused consumption to decline
considerably.
Farmer Was Big Factor.
while the people, as whole
through their abstinence averted the
immediate crisis, it was the farmer
who was the really big factor in the
ultimate situation" says the bureau OF
animal industry, United States depart
ment Of agriculture 1.-THE producer
OF course, was expected to do his part
but he did 1t with such powerful effect
that In single year the meat shortage
was turned into pronounced surplus
Thus in 1918 there was not only meat
enough to supply all foreign demands
compatible with the restricted shipping
facilities, but greatly enlarged guam.
ttty was available for the home con
sumption.
TO be sure, 1t cost the farmer more
much more, to feed his animals an6
get them to market. Likewise, all Other
steps from producer to consumer, be
came more costly, hence the higl
prices. But the unprecedented prosper
lty OF the people. as whole, enabled
them to afford the increased cost. Ii
fact, laboring people probably con
sumed more meat during the last veal
than in prewar times.
The total number of cattle slaugh
tered in 1918 is estimated at Is, $50, 400
a. against 13,723,9OO in 1917. Theil
average weights were practically the
same for both years, and the beef pro
duced from them was 6,6S6OOO,Oo(
pounds in 1917 and 7,641 100000
pounds in 1918. This was remarkable
achievement, as it hardly would hav,
been credited that beef growers coul,
increase their production million
pounds in one year.
Results Called Stupendous.
The hog natures quickly, therefore
g. much more rapid increase would b,
looked for than was the case with cat
tie. Even so, the results for 1913 car
be described only as stupendous. Th,
! hogs marketed in 1918 numbered 60,
S54,7OO. as against 57,4S38OO in 1917
Furthermore, the average weight wa
nine and half pounds more per no,
7 In 1918. Thus when the animals ar,
turned into pork and lard we have :
total production Of 1925, 1884, 0'
pounds in 1918, as against S,47S, 2S9
!. 600 pounds in 1917, an increase of 2
747,355,OOO pounds, or 32.4 per cent
i nearly one-third."
Striking increases in exports also ar
shown by the bureau. Beef shipment
abroad in 1918 were "a per cent NOR
than in 19l7-the chief 1913 items be
ing 514,OOOOOO pounds Of fresh bee
and 141 100000 pounds of canned beet
n! Exports of pork and lard in 191
amounted to 2,279, 2S7, O3O-which wa
Ill per cent more than the quantit,
sent abroad in 1917.
The bureau shows that in the aggre
gate more meat by far is eaten in tn
United States than in any other coun
try In the world-although som
sparsely settled countries raising muc
meat have larger per capita consumI
!, ton. It also says that there is rooI
" In the United States for great expar