The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1921-05-21
NEAT SHORTAGE VI. CA
WILL FACE NATION
WITHIN SHORT TINE
Unless something Is Done TO Stlmu.
late Production ut Once
Nation Faces Meat
Shortage.

An important survey of the livestock
situation In the nation has been made
by Grady Caryl, General Counsel OF
the Louisville Live Stock Exchange
figures from which were used in an
tddress recently at Lebanon in the
campaign OF the Exchange to improve
livestock of the state. Mr.. Cary in his
talk in behalf of the Farmers Better
Sire Sale Of 300 registered purebred
bulls to be held at the Bourbon Stock
Yards, June End, called attention tC
the increase in population.
"Of outstanding importance to every
person in this country is the fact that
the number of people in the United
States has been increasing much fast.
err than the number Of cattle, sheer
and swine,' declared Mr.. Cary, "Ir
1900 for every 9 inhabitants of the
United States there were eight head Of
cattle, seven and one-half head OF
swine and seven head of sheep. On the
first day of January, 1921, for every
| nine inhabitants the ratio had shrunl
to approximately five and one-hal
head of cattle, six head of swine ant
four head of sheep. The statistics es
tablish that the per capital supply o.
swine and cattle combined has de
creased more than one-fourth in TWEEN
ty years and the per capital supply O
sheep nearly one-half"
The total livestock production of thu
United States on June list, 1900, was
of cattle, sheep and swine 192,O91 ,164
and on January 1st, 1921, the total live
stock population only 1779O7, 900
which means that during that periot
there was an actual decrease in live
stock population of approximately
100000 head, while there was al
increase in the human population o.
the country in the same period of APP
proximately 100000 persons. Thus
it will be seen that the people of the
United States increase about 40 pei
cent while the livestock population de
creased between s and per cent"
AN analysis of the actual figures
reveals the following economic situa
ton which should be of serious inter
est to consumers and, of course. t.
producers.
First - Apparently the United
States is reverting toward situation
wherein the production of livestock
and consequently Of meat will be out
stripped by increasing population.
Second - The per capita produc
ton of meat and lard, including extrt
edible parts, such as liver, hearts ant
tongues, was in roun dnumbers 49,
pounds in 1920 as compared with 81
pounds in 1919; 222 pounds in 1917
and 24S pounds in 1900
Third - Less beef and veal were
produced In the United States in 1921
than in 1900 not outstanding the
population during the same period in
creased approximately forty per cent
Fourth - Pork now appears to b.
the main resource of the nation in thu
losing fight to increase livestock anC
meat production as rapidly as popu
lation. In 1909 beef and veal consti
tuted 4S per cent. and pork and lart
1874 per cent. of the total production
of dressed meat and lard. Last veal
the ratios were: beef and veal 39.t
per cent; pork and lard SIG per cent
Fifth - Canadian meat industry
has been lamenting the fact that the
number Of cattle per capita in the
Dominion has not increased since
1908 and various efforts to increase
livestock production in the Dominion
have been made, but at the present
time there are ten head Of cattle to
every nine inhabitants in Canada and
in the United States at the beginning
Of this year there were less than six
head of cattle to every nine inhabit-
ants In each instance the figures in
clue cows.
"If every inhabitant of the United
States in 1920 had eaten as much Of
g., - - -..-.. .nLaL; ts