The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-07-22

Montana has a livestock popula-
ton of 3|,577,158 head, according to
the report of the Butte chamber OF
commerce. The report is based on
the statistics of the state tax and
license commission. The livestock
statistics embrace horses, mules, cat
tie, sheep and hogs and do not in
clude goats, of which there are a
goodly number of the thoroughbred
variety, Angoras and Nubian mich,
as well as the common, or "livery
stable" goat.
There are ~1,O97,288 cattle distrib-
uted among the 43 counties of the
state. The bulk of these are stock
cattle, their number being 589,845.
Stock cattle are to be found in all
counties except Fergus. The largest
number is found in Custer county,
69,8O1, and the smallest number in
Mineral county, % head. While Fer
gus is lacking in stock cattle, the
county makes a fine showing in other
varieties.
This is enough to supply every
family in the state with five head,
without encroaching on the dairy cat
tie, the thoroughbreds OF the graded
stock, and leaving nearly 100, GOO to
repopulate the ranges. This estimate
is based on the last census report.
Montana Production
Of sheep, Montana can boast of a
grand total of ~1,891,095, an excess
over the cattle of nearly 100000
head, while the hog industry, which
is yet in it's infancy by reason of the
fact that Montana has heretofore not
gone in heavily for corn, although
there are a number of fine corn val
legs, according to the experts, makes
a respectable showing of 59,71S
head.
Montana produced 1~2,826,480 tons
of hay and grain which represents
about four tons per head of livestock.
The grazing acreage is placed at
17,941,9 $50 acres, or about five acres
per head of cattle, sheep and horses.
The grazing acreage cuts down the
need for harvested forage and Mon
tana must seek a market in other
states.
Stockyards as Market
Were a union stockyards located
in Butte, 1t is said, Montana would
have a market for her hay right at
home. Horseflesh has become a
staple article Of diet in some coun-
tries in Europe and among some of
our foreign born in this country.
Montana has nearly 100000 range
horses. These are the preferred kind
for butchering purposes. With a
union st~ockyards and a horse divi-
sion, with a packing plant devoted to
handling horse meat, a valuable in
dustry might be built up.
Horsehide is a highly-valued ma
terial for shoes, covering, horse col
lars, and for baseballs, the preferred
part of the hide for shoe purposes be-
ing the covering of the headquarters,
where the whip falls %oftenest." The
central layer (the skin is several
phys in thickness) is used in the man
ufacture of "cordova' shoes. With a
horse-butchering plant would come a
plant and possibly a shoe
manufacturing plant for n of the
best grades of foot leather.
Sheep Population
The sheep population is divided
INTO 20,885 rams, 71,079 lambs and
l~,799,130 ewes and wethers. Several
thousand of these are butchered each
month locally in one Butte packing
operating without a stockyards.
We're a union stockyards established
t is assumed that the major part of
me mutton supplied the nation by
Montana would be butchered locally
md shipped from this state in refrig-
instead of on the hoof. In
his connection, it might be stated
hat the banner sheep county, Beaver
lead, is right at the threshold of
Butte. Beaverhead is credited with
head of sheep. Madison, the
.djoining county on the east, has
and Powell 1887. Other
ounties in close proximity to Butte
.lso rank high in sheep.
AS a matter of minor Importance,
t might be stated that Montana
'oasts of Is Shetland ponies, the
ormer property of a dog and pony
how whose Montana hacker, at the
issolution of the partnership, pur-
hased the little herd and brought
hem to this state. The influence of
he Hamilton ranch of Marcus DAILY, {
there fine horses were bred, Is i
hown in the fact that there are 1864
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