Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-03-10
AID Breeding
OF RENDERS
limited States Plans to Make AMI
NAL important Factor in
Meat Industry.
TRY. TO DOUBLE HIS WEIGHT
Alaska Has 100000 Reindeer With
Rance for Several Miliions-Mu'ti'
ply. From Original Importation
Of 1880 in % Years.

WashingtOn.--San Claus reindeer
have promise of becoming u factor IN
the meat supply of this country as
they are In Scandinavia, where reih-
deer meat last year sold AT hlSher
price than beef or mutton. Tie gov
eminent Is going to aid in putting the
infant industry Of Alaska on its 1eet
by experiments in increasing the rein
deer's weight to about double the pres
ent average by scientifically breeding
them. locating ranges and studying the
animals diseases, parasites ana graz
Ing problems. Provision ID maze ~
the agricultural appropriation Dill OF
this year for that purpose.
Alaska Has 100000 Reindeer.
DR.. +. w. Nelson, chief of the bio
logical survey, in urging the approprlh-
ton. told congress there are about
900, 900 reindeer in Alaska, of which
about three-fourhs belong to the ma
tives and one-fourth to the govern
ment and to white owners who nave
started commercial industry In grow
ing reindeer for meat. These rein
deer multiplied from an original I'M
portation of 1850 animals made -
years age for the benefit of the Els
kimos.
"People have asked me what the
future Of the industry Is likely to be.
said DIR. Nelson. - have replied by
asking them the question: If l,2So
reindeer in % years produced the
present 100000 animals, what Is like
ly to be the increase from 2OO,OOO AM
mails in the next 2S years? The in
crease is almost unbelievable. In 9th
er words, the industry, properly han
died, should have a great future.
1.-THE Alaskan firm which has started
the industry exported 1000 head to
Seattle last year. The firm has .:'-
tablished four small cold storage
plants at points on the ALASKAN coast
where the reindeer can rendiiy he
driven down for slaughter la be re-
frigerated and loaded for shipment.
II believe Alaska contains avaiiablI
range to maintain from four to tive
million of reindeer. The estimate has
of 100000. but think that Is too
high.
Five million reindeer would give
an average output of about l,2oo,oO
reindeer year. Dressed for market
an animal now averages 80 pounds.
Taking this weight and the present
value of reindeer meat. the fully de-
yelopcd reindeer industry In ALASKA
should yield approximately Si3,oOoW0
Il year Reindeer have been In Alaska
% years and their increase under
crude methods of handling has been
almost startling. Under proper scien
tific supervision and modern methods
the industry should develop very rap
idly.
May Use Caribou for Breeding.
"There are big herds of wild caribou
about the Mount Mckinley region
some bulls of which dress up TO about
400 pounds, We plan to capture some
bulls of this stock and use them with
an experimental herd Of reindeer cows
for the purpose of building up a high
err grade of reindeer, having greater
weight and increased hardness. | be-
lieve it will be practicable In less than
ten years to have the reindeer Of Alas
ka running from $50 to 300 pounds
to the carcass, instead of $50 pounds
as at present.
1.-THE increased weight would In
crease the value of the fully developed
Alaska reindeer industry enough to
bring the potential output around go,
100000 at present value. That is more
than the fisheries of Alaska produce
"Stefanss0n, the Arctic explorer
was here recently. He is interested
In the lease granted by the Canadian
government for great area for rein
deer grazing in Bafiin's bay region. He
informed me that in the Scandinavian
countries of Europe about 20O.OOO rein.
deer are killed for meat each year.
I'VE are talking about helping t.,
build up Alaska, and here is one thing
that is right I'm sight today, q line,
big industry, and do not know of any
other like it in the immediate future.
The future looks so promising that
the expenditure which we contemplate
is trifling compared with what tho
outcome is rkely to be-"