The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1921-03-11
Aid BREEDING
OF RENDERS
United States Plans to Make Ami.
NAL important Factor in
Meat Industry.
TRY TO DOUBLE HIS WEIGHT
Alaska Has 100000 Reindeer With
Range for Several Millions-Muiti-
ply From Original Importation
Of 1890 in 20 Years.

ply from OrIQindi IHPoT 1ae'0"
Of 1880 in 20 Years.
WashingtOn.-Santa Claus reindeer
have promise of becoming a factor in
the meat supply of this country as
they are in Scandinavia, where rein
deer meat last year sold at h1gher
price than beef or mutton. The gov
eminent is going to aid in putting the
infant industry Of Alaska on it's feet
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 and graz
ing problems. Provision : is made In
the agricultural appropriation bill OF
this year for that purpose.
Alaska Has 100000 Reindeer.
DIR. E. w. Nelson, chief Of the bio
logical survey, in urging the appropria-
ton, told congress there are about
100000 reindeer in Alaska, Of which
about three-fourths belong to the ma
tives and one-fourth to the govern
ment and to white owners who have
started q commercial industry In grow
ing reindeer for meat. These rein
deer multiplied from an original i'm
portation of 1880 animals made 70
years ago for the benefit of the Es-
kimos.
"People have asked me what the
future of the industry is likely to be"
said DR.. Nelson. II have replied by
asking them the question: III 1,28O
reindeer in % years produced the
present 100000 animals, what is like
ly to be the increase from 100000 ami
mails in the next % yearsT The in
crease is almost unbelievable. In 9TH
err words, the industry, properly ham
died, should have a great future.
"The Alaskan firm which has started
the industry exported 1000 head to
Seattle last year. The firm has es-
tablished four small cold storage
plants at points On the Alaskan coast
where the reindeer can readily be
driven down for slaughter to be re-
frigerated and loaded for shipment.
81 believe Alaska contains available
range to maintain from four to five
million of reindeer. The estimate has
been made that it would take care
of 100000, but think that is too
high.
give million reindeer would give
an average output Of about 1,25O,OOC
reindeer a year. Dressed for market
an animal now averages $50 pounds.
Taking this weight and the present
value Of reindeer meat, the fully de-
veloped reindeer industry in Alaska
should yield approximately $43, 0OO,O OC
a 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 method:
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 abou
400 pounds. We plan to capture sOm'
bulls of this stock and use them will
an experimental herd Of reindeer cow
| for the purpose of building up high
er grade of reindeer, having create
weight and increased hardness. / be
lieve it will be practicable in less thar
ten years to have the reindeer of Alas
ka running from $50 to 300 pound
to the carcass, instead of $50 pound
as at present.
1.-The increased weight would in
crease the value of the fully develope,
Alaska reindeer industry enough t
bring the potential output around go
100000 at present value. That is NOR
than the fisheries Of Alaska produce
"Stefansson, the Arctic explorer
was here recently. He is intereste
in the lease granted by the Canada
government for a great area for reir
deer grazing in Baffin's bay region. II
Informed me that in the Scandinavia
countries of Europe about 200, 1000 reiI
deer are killed for meat each year.
| 1--WE are talking about helping t
build up Alaska, and here is one thin
that is right in sight today, Tin,
big industry, and do not know of an
other like it in the immediate futur,
The future looks so promising thu
the expenditure which we cOntemplat
is trifling compared with what tn
outcome is likely to be-"