The Washington herald., 1921-03-07
GREAT DECLINE in
OUR FOOD ANIMALS
SINCE WARS CLOSE
Europe's Unknown Con-
suming Power Cause of
Decrease.
100000 IN 2 YEARS
Value of Decline Approximate
ed 1851, 900, 900 During
Year of 1920.
100000 IN 2 YEARS

States evidently saw the hand
writing on the WALL at the close
of the war. says a statement by
the National City Bank Of New
York. The demands Of the war
upon them for food anipals and
for horses and mules had resulted
in a large increase in both number
and value of every class of food
and draught animals. But when
the war ceased and Europes abso-
lutte demand for meats gave place
to a doubt as to her future con-
suming power, the meat producers
were quick to note the situation,
and the number of farm animals in
the United States has actually fallen
on by 100000 in the two years
since the armistice. The value of
all farm animals. which increased
from $2,936,000,000 in the five years
of war decreased s2,5s1. 900. 900 in
the two postwar years, 1919 and
1890. This Is especially true in the
matter Of strictly food animals; the
number of swine on the farms Of the
United States which stood at the
high water mark of 74,5S4,000 on
January l, 1919 (sixty days after
the close of the war) had fallen to
66,640,000 on January l, 1921, a de-
cline of over 10 per cent in the two
years following the close Of the war,
during which the number has made
its highest record, the actual decline
in tie number of swine being near
ly 100000. Cattle, other than those
kept for dairy purposes, also show
a big fall Off, dropping from 45,0S5,-
600 at the beginning of 1919 to A.
$4,000 at the beginning of 1921, a
decline Of about 2,25o, 900 in number.
Dairy animals, always in demand
TO meet the requirements of our do
mestic market and the growing de-
mand from other parts of the world,
showed no marked fall of, the total
number in January, 1921, being a.
S2l,0oo against 23,475,000 at the be-
ginning of 1919. Sheep, whose value
is determined in part by their food
Qualities, and In part by the prices
of wool. show a startling fail ofY
from 4S,S66,000 at the beginning of
1919 to 45,067,oo0 at the beginninr
of 1921. an actual decline of $500
900. Horses on farms, which were
greatly in demand from Europe
down to the closing year of the war.
put which were being displaced at
nome in an appreciable extent by
the increased use of the automobile,
road tractor, and farm machinery
operated by the internal combustion
engine, dropped from the high water
mark OF 1885, 900 in 1918 to 90
$4,000 at the beginning of 1921,
though the number of mules shows
no marked change.
Reduce for Failing Prices.
Presumably these reductions in
the number of farm animals since
the close OF the war were made in
part as a result of the expectation
that prices would fall with a reduc-
ton OF demand from abroad, and
the dehation which was expected
in prices in the domestic market,
and this expectation has been even
more sharply realized than is shown
by the mere figures OF numbers.
While the total number of food ami
sheep, and swine
showed fall off of a little over z
per cent in the two years in ques-
ton. the fall off in this value was
over 80 per cent. The total valua-
lion of the three groups of food ami
sheep. and swine
fell from s6.03s, 100000 at the be-
of 1919 to s3.994, 10000 at |
the beginning of 1921. the actual |
fall off in number being 14,1o3,o00, |
and in actual value s2.045,000 900. |
Swine especially showed a tremen-
1ous decline from s1.642, 100000 in
value, at the beginning of 1919 to
only sS66,000, 900 at the beginning |
Of 1921; sheep fell from s56S. 1000. 900 |
10 only $2S9,000,000 in 1921; cattle, |
other than dairy animals. dropped |
rom $1,s93,000.0 900 in value at the |
beginning of 1919 to S1,347.000,0 900 |
1t the beginning of 1921, while cows
showed a less striking reduction.
dropping from 1886, 100000 to ST.
1872, ,000.o
Per Capita Value of Swine.
These declines in the farm value
of the respective groups of animals
are sharply illustrated in the fact
that the average per capita value of
the swine of the country dropped |
from S22.02 at the beginning of 1919
70 $12.s9 at the beginning of 1921;
sheep, from $11.63 to $6.41; cattle,
other than dairy animals, from |
Sf4.zz TO $5l.4l, ana mix COWS from
$3.50 to $63.97. Horses which av-
eraged $110.77 per head at the high |
water mark of 1913 and $9S.4S per |
head in 1919. were but sS2.45 per |
head at the beginning of 1921, and |
the value Of all horses on farms |
which stood at s2,27s.222. 900 at the |
of 1913 was but $780,
1860 at the beginning Of 1891, |
o 0aip illuef "a ting the "a nfditv uvffh /
which the internal combustion en-
gine, in passenger and freight auto
and farm machinery Is per- |
forr,ninr tia aaruina fnr xuhinh tho