The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-12-14
UNIVERSITY HELPS
TO SAVE LIVESTOCK
FARM BUREAU AND EXTENSION
SERVICE SAVED VAST NUM-
BERS OF ANIMALS.

! At least 100000 sheep and 49,50O
head of cattle were saved to the state
of Idaho for breeding purposes, at
the time of last springs drought
through the efforts of the county
farm bureaus and the university ex-
tension division, according to figures
contained in the annual report of E.
F. Rinehart, field animal husband
man of the extension division, just
compiled
Drought conditions were such, says
this report, that it was necessary to
|shift 25 per cent of the range sheep
and 20 per cent of the range cattle
from their usual feeding grounds.
The part played by the extension SER
vice and the farm bureaus was to find
new feeding places, and Mr.. Rine-
hart's report states that an attempt
was made to keep as many head in
the state as possible, as experience
had shown that stock, once shipped
out, was likely not to come back.
while there was plenty of feed,"
says the report, "the distribut ton was
a problem. Three hundred thousand
head of stock sheep and $4,000 head
of breeding cattle were moved to feed
in other states, located through the
special drought offices.
Feeding grounds within the state
were located for 100000 sheep and
85, 900 head of cattle. Practically all
of these feed grounds were located
through the county agents offices.
The experiences of this year showed
the wisdom of staying within the
state, for the exception of the sheep
wintered on the range in Utah and
Nevada, none of the breeding stock
ever came back, as when spring open
ed it had a greater value here than
there
with all of this shifting of stock,
as we'll as that brought in from the
there was still surplus of
feed. During the months of great
est shortage, hay was shipped out as
follows: February, 1888 cars; March,
915 cars; April 1884 cars; and in May
$50 cars.
"The period was passed through
with q 10 per cent loss of sheep and
liz per cent loss of the cattle. The
most conservative estimates gather
ed from all available sources were
chat it would be necessary to sacri
flee rs per cent of the sheep and 18
Der cent of the cattle, SO that the
number of stock held and retained
or breeding purposes through the eff
'orts of the local farm bureaus ap-
3roximates at least 100000 sheep and
Is, 800 head of CATTLE
Saying that "Idaho is primarily
livestock state" the report gives
and values of livestock in
he state at the beginning of 1920 as
ollows:
Number Value
Sheep .....3, 1894, 900 S33, ,633, 500 /
Beef cattle -. $4,000 23,681 ZOO
Horses ....... 27O,OOO 20,79O,O0O !
Dairy cattle :. 10000 11,56O,OOO /
Poultry ..... 5,937 900 $4,000 /
swine ........ $4,000 3,328,60O
"Sheep rank as the most import
mt industry of the state, with beef K
attic second" says the report. "Most
# the area Of the state is such that
Without either sheep or beef cattle
here would be waste, the feed be-
ng such that it can be utilized only
h this way Both have two distinct
hases,s the range and the farm
"Idaho has gone from the range +
orse business, for the reason that
he area is more profitable as cat
lie range. The raising of colts is
rofitable only as a by-product of the
ecessary horse labor"
Regarding range conditions, Mr..
,inehart says: ''The range is badly
YER grazed and it is a case of first
ONE, first served Only in the for
st reserves is there protection Pre-
minary work toward the solution of
his problem was undertaken. Co
perative associations are offering
ssistance, the cooperation of three
attle outfits with a total of 2200
cad of stock and three sheep out I
ts with total Of 400 head of stock
eing offered for demonstration work
n this problem.
Efficient range management, es-
ecially when the outfits are small, t
epends upon proper cooperation. In
0 other way can the stock be i'm
roved and the carrying capacity of