Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-02-08
LIVE STOCK IN
NORTHDAkOTA
SHOWS
Only Mich Cows Remained
Normal, According to Re
port of A. ]. Surratt.
Horses, Mules, Sheep, Swine
and Other Live Stock
Show Falling OFF.

C@AAA0I 1AEAIllIS COuO1LlO0S IN
North Dakota for the year 1920 also
were reflected in the livestock situa-
ton. according to the annual livestock
report Of A. j. Surratt, North Dakota
statistician for the bureau Of crop es-
Inmates. Mr.. Surratt's complete re-
port follows:
Excepting mich cows the number
OF all live stock on farms in North
Dakota on January /. 1921, shows q
decrease compared with a year ago,
b total value of all live stock on
farms in this state on January l. 1921.
was $ss,s76,o 900 compared to SAL
$4,000 2 year ago. 5S,oss,o0 in
1919, and SsS,s01, 900 in 1910. This
decrease OF 20 per cent in total value
during the past year, while due to
some extent to decreased numbers. is
chiefly accounted for in the decidedly
heavy slump in the value per head
Tor all classes of farm animals during
1920. The value per head Of horses
IN North Dakota has decreased from
$Sl a year ago to $62 per head on
January 1, 1921; mules $98 to $S5;
mich cows ST. to $55; other cattle
341.40 to $27.7o;. sheep SM to S.:
hogs $21 to $14. The number Of cattle
sold of farms during 1926 shows a
ments of hogs and sheep. while heavy.
have fallen off to some extent in com
parison with the 1919 shipments. The
total value of live stock shipments
from North Dakota during 1920 was
approximately SIS, 0 0 600. or about
$4,000, 900 below that OF 1919.
A survey of the live stock situation
during h past year presents some
decidedly unusual features. Under
normal or near normal conditions the
tendency Of the North Dakota farmers
has been to either maintain or in
crease the number of live stock on
farms. Whenever state live stock
numbers have shown a decrease for
any one of the recent years, the cause
could usually be attributed to a short
age of feed over a part or all of the
state. This has been especially r
of the cattle industry in regard to the
forage fec supply. Notwithstanding
the fact that the 1920 supply of hay
and roughage, in all except a few up
per northeastern and scattered west
ern counties, was sufficient to main
tain herds, sales of cattle and sheep
have been abnormally heavy. Except
in limited areas the AUS Of declining
numbers shown in this report is not
due so much to the feed situation as
to the announcement and general
conditions resulting from the severe
experience through which the live
stock industry has passed during the
last year. This condition
with The general s~tringency and disap-
pointing grain yields over wide areas
caused heavier than usual marketing
of live stock by farmers
in order to meet pressing financial
obligations.
Mich Cows.
Owing to the well known advAn-
tages of dairy stock as a source OF
revenue to farmers, and the fact that
the ratio of the price Of dairy prod.
ucts to feed prices remains quite IA
vorable, farmers have been rather re.
luctant to decrease their dairy herds
as a rule. Marketing, however. has
been sufficiently heavy to absorb the
increase in numbers that obtained
earlier in the season through the ad.
dition of young dairy stock. The
number. of mich cows in this state
on January l is estimated to be 464,'
900, or the same as a year ago.
Other Cattle, Sheep and Hogs.
The marketing of all classes of cat
tie, sheep and hogs, has been heavy
and in the instance of other cattle
shipments have not only included tn
equivalent of the entire natural in
crease in numbers last season. blu
also a 3 per cen reduction from tn