Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-05-03
Two Million Tons of
Meat Added in 1918


incluuing lari, amounted in 1918 to
sO,l29,sO0o 600 pounds-a quantity never
before approached In magnitude by the
live stock industry OF this or any other
country, The corresponding figure for
1917 was l6,5l7,So0,ooo pounds.
Three fourths of this enormous in
crease vas In pork and one fourth was
in beef.
The meat surplus in 1918 VAS 50
great that extra export demands made
little impression on IT, alt no 1918 eN-
port shipments II meat and lard nearly
doubled the 1911 hgurcs-rising from
slightly less than ia billion pounds TO
slightly more han billion pounds
and these figures do not include ship
ments to American military forces
abroad.
The aggregate 1917 consumption OF
dressed meat and lard In the United
States was approximately 14ia biinoh
pounds, but IN 1918 1t rose TO IN bill
lion pounds. This means. after allow
ing for increase in population, an addi-
ton of % pounds for every man,
woman, and child IN the countrywide
spite the food conservation campaign
decline considerably.
How Shortage Became Surplus.
While the ieople as a whole thru
their abstinence ayerted the immedi-
ate crisis, il was the farmer who was
the really big factor III the ultimate
situation says the bureau of animal
industry, United States department OF
agriculture, watch is authority FOR the
foregoing statement. The producer,
of course, was expected TO do his part
but he did il with such powerful effect
that in a single year the meat short
age was turned into a pronounced sur,
plus. Thus in 1918 there was not only
meat enough to supply all foreign de-
mands compatible with the restricted
Shipping facilities, but greatly en-
Iarged quantity was available for the
home consumption.
ITO be sure, il cost the farmer more
much more, TO feed his animals ana
get them TO market. Likewise, all other
steps from producer to consumer De-
came more costly, hence the high
prices. But the unprecedented pros
perity of the people as whole en-
abled them to afford the increased cost.
In fact, laboriug people probably con-
sumed more meat during the past year
than IN pre-war. times.
Quantity Increases "Remarkable.'
The total number Of cattle siaughe-
cred in 1918 is estimated at lo'oo,4V o,
says the bureau, AS against lS,'-o's'V
IN 1917. Their average weights were
practically the same for ooth years
ana the beef produced from them was
6,6S6. 900, 900 pounds in 1917 and "otl'
GOO. 900 pounds in 1918. This was q
rema rk a BILE achievement, as 1t hard'y
would have been credited that oeei
growers could increase their produc-
ton a billion pounds in one year.
THE hog natures quickly, therefore
a much more rapid increase "ouiu VIC
looked for than was the case WIN
cattle. Even so. the results for 1910
can be described only as stupehuous
The hogs marketed in 1918 numpereu
60 S54. 700 as against 81. 4S3,S00 Ill lsi''
furthermore, the average weight was
ela hounds more per hog in 1918. Ihus
when the animals are turned into porn
and lard we have total produclloh VI
II o25 ss4. 900 pounds in 1918 as agaihs1
3 4-s 2S9 600 hounds in 1917. an IN
crease of o.747,355, 900 pounds or Sz.4
per cent nearly one-third.
Striking INCREASES in exports are
also shown by the bureau. Beef snip.
ments abroad in 1918 were "a per cent
more than in is17-the chief 1918 ITEMS
being 514,ooO.ooo pounds of fresh pesi
and l41,0O0.OO0 pounds of canned pe.t,
Exports of pork and lard III l'ls
amounted to Observation-Disclosures Maa
~ per cent more than the auah'''S'
sent abroad in l9lh
The bureau shows that IN the
sregate more meat by far is eaten AZ
tno United States than III any o'he'
country in the world--altho some
sparsely settled countries raising mucn
rn,at nave a larger per capita con
sumption. 1t also says that there 10
room in tic C-ited States TOT srea,
evanston in the use Of mutton anu
lamb.