Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-09-16
CATTLE RANGES
FAST DISAPPEAR
For More Than Year Average
Raiser Has Been Losing
Money in Middle West.
HERDS ARE BEING DIMINISHED
Everywhere Feeders Are Quitting Op-
erations In Discouragement-Land
Over Which Cattle Roamed
BEING Turned Into Wheat.

Sioux Falls.-The cattle industry Is
admittedly in bad way. For more
than a year the average raiser has
been losing money. The herds are be-
ing diminished. More beef is sent to
market direct from the grass, corn be-
ing too costly for fattening at the pres
ent live stock quotations, which means
more waste and less meat per head.
More land over which the cattle
roamed is being turned into wheat, and
this also adds to the depopulation of
Americas herds. But in the butcher
shops of the hamlets and villages, the
smaller cities and the great centers
the consumer finds Old Doc High Cost
has as strong a clutch as ever. Out
here in regions where the raw ma
terial Is raised the traveller finds the
price of beefsteak and pork chops over
the counter is as much q problem for
the family budget as 1t is in the big
cities.
Cattle Question Important.
Some gloomy prophets say If the re-
duction Of the herds continues at the
cents or 81 pound within year.
They may prove wrong or they may
prove right, but in any event the cat
tie question is one of deep concern.
At every stop that has been made
In six states, the farmers have talked
with emphasis.
Everywhere evidence was presented
in sheer Encouragement.
During the last year after buying
cattle from the grass, then feeding
them corn at $3.50 to $3.50 and up
ward a bushel, they have sent their
stock to market, only to receive for the
finished product far less than it cost
them,
In Nebraska the state authorities say
hundreds Of men are sending cattle
to market direct from pasture because
feeders will not buy.
In Kansas one-fourth Of the pas
lures this year are without herds, so
the state live stock association at To-
peka reported few days ago.
They are marketing them light these
days at or 8 years old. The associa-
TONS experts say that last year the
average market weight of steers at
Kansas City slumped 100 pounds,
meaning greater percentage of waste
and a smaller proportion Of beef.
Everywhere ON the trip stories of
losses have been retailed to the tour
lists. At first they appeared to be high
ly exaggerated, but after hearing the
same type of complaint for 1,2OO miles,
one takes a different view. Here are
few random instances:
Farmer Reports Loss.
At Monmouth 1000 acre farmer
said he had prime herd on which
his loss amounts to more than 500
per head.
At Chillicothe, Mo-, three farmers
said their-losses during the year ran
between 500 and $125 head and that
some raisers had Jared even worse.
At Topeka state official In all seri-
business reported one case where
raiser had sold bunch on which his
loss had run to $1S5 per head.
At Fremont, Neb., a former con-
gresham, in close touch with farmers,
said losses of $3.50 to $3.50 per head
had not been at all uncommon during
the last year.
One comment is heard in every viii
lage. The only difference is in the
words, but the tune runs like this:
II bought a bit of meat and the
butcher charged me go cents q pound.
l asked him what my cattle would
bring and he said about to 10 cents.
They dress one-half, which would make
meat on the hoof worth 20 cents.
Where does the other 40 cents go?"-
Arthur NJ. Evans in Chicago Tribune.