Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-29
\ RGANIZED effort to save the
millions of dollars lost year
J ly through the starvation of

Il mllllOnS Oh collars lOSt year
~ through the starvation of
cattle and sheep on the vest
ern ranges is being made by the
American Red Star Animal Relief.
food supply of the world. but .to pre-
vent needless suffering on the part Of
the helpless animals.
Investigations extending over sew
eral months. officials Of the\organiza-
ton say, show that by cutting hay
and erecting and filing sifos food
may be provided for live stock in the
winter. enabling it to resist the in
clement weather. even though not
sheltered. Government reports show
ing that during the winter of 1917
1918 there were lost SSS.S39 cattle and
938,SS0 sheep through starvation and
exposure. in addition to thousands Of
calves and lambs. are quoted to show
the need for some reform of winter
ing methods.
Cattle and Sheep Victims.
Cattle and sheep fall victims to
exposure when they cannot get food.
when they are SO weakened from
long-endured hunger and thirst that
they have no reserve strength to bat
tie with the elements" says a state
ment sent out from Red Star head
quarters in Albany. N. Y. 'They sink
to earth and die, not with the swift
ness of an explosions blast, but with
the continuing agony of slow. linger-
ing suffering
THE cruelty. the inhumanity, is not
limited to the cattle and sheep that
die. Greater cruelty, greater national
waste of food. greater economic loss
is seen in the stunted carcasses Of
those that pull through the winter
alive. Thousands and thousands
emerge in the spring living skeletons.
volumes might be written of ac-
tual losses by starvation, every case
provable to the hilt. One man had
5000 ewes and expected to lose all
at lambing time, so weak and starved
were they. But he solaced himself
with the reflection that he would
make good his losses and more this
year or next.
In western range state the owner
of 1000 Hereford cattle figured he
could stand a 10 per cent loss better
than he could afford to feed his
stock. Bad weather came and the
storms on the mountainside. They
had no food and could get none. FIRE.
Quently the owner rode that way.
AS he passed he could see his cattle
starving. He did nothing to save
them. although he had hay on his
winters this man lost as high as
one-fourth Of his entire herd through
not providing food.
ct regret to say declared a gov
eminent official. that there are some
sheepmen who will take the risk Of
losing a ten-dollar eve to save an
expenditure of so cents on hay. Ex-
cept in severe winter, losses are
light where men make provision for
winter feeding
Texas Case Cited.
"a company bought 5000 Texas
them to another state and turned
them loose on the range. Snow fell
and covered the forage, and the cat
tie began to die on. The man in
charge boosted that they might lose
one-half and still make money. AS
a matter of fact there was a loss.
estimated at rs per cent, before the
owners began to feed the cattle on
the order Of the authorities.
All StOChmSH not alike. me
best men deplore the conditions which
bring disrepute on the whole industry.
They condemn the cruel. neglectful
herdsmen and ranchers in the forcible
language Of the western country. The
best men have shown that the good
way pays"
Provision for Winter.
In bulletin being sent out to stock
men through the cattle and sheep
country the Red Star says:
The way to avoid big winter losses
is to provide food when the forage is
covered with snow. The men who have
been wiped out of the stock business
in the last twenty years are the men
who had big losses because they did
not feed. There is a good market for
every animal you can produce In the
next twenty years.
stack every bit of forage you can
cut. 1t does not matter how rough it