The log cabin Democrat., 1921-03-18
AID BREEDING
 0F 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 MiIlions-Multi- ply From Original Importation
 of 1,28O in 29 Years.

 of 1,2e0 in 2a Years. Washngton-Santa Claus reindeer have promise of becoming factor in the meat supply of this country as they are in Scandinavia, where rein deer meat last year sold at higher price than beef or mutton. The gov- ernment 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.
 Dr. E. W. Nelson, chief of the bio- logical survey, in urging the appropria- tion, told congress there are about 100000 reindeer in Alaska, of which about three-fourths belong to the na- lives and one-fourth to the govern ment and to white owners who have started a commercial industry in grow. ing reindeer for meat These rein deer multiplied from an original im- portation of 1,2S0 animals made 26 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. T have replied by asking them the question: If 1,2SO reindeer in 2S years produced the present 100000 animals, what is like ly to be the increase from 100000 anil mals in the next 2S years? The in- crease Is almost unbelievable. In oth. CT words, the industry, properly ham, died, should have a great future.
 'The Alaskan firm which has started the industry exported 1,60O 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.
 II 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 10,00O,0OO, but I think that is too high.
 Five million reindeer "ould give an average output of about 1,250,000 reindeer a year. Dressed for market an animal now averages 15O pounds. Taking this weight and the present value of reindeer meat, the fully de- veloped reindeer industry in Alaska should yield approximately S43,00O, 900 year. Reindeer have been in Alaska 2S years and their increase under crude methods of handling has been almost startling. Under proper scien- titic 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 CT grade of reindeer, having greater weight and increased hardness. 1 be- lieve it will be practicable in less than ten years to have the reindeer of Alas ka running from 250 to 300 pounds to the carcass, instead of 15O pounds as at present.
 'The Increased weight would in- crease the value of the fully developed Alaska reindeer industry enough to bring the potential output around S6O,- 100000 at present value. That is more than the fisheries of Alaska produce.
 "Stefansson, 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 Baffin's bay region He informed me that in the Scandinavian countries of Europe about POO GOO rein. deer are killed for meat each year.
 "We are talking about helping to build up Alaska, and here is one thing that is right in sight today, a hne, 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 trifllng compared with what the outcome is likely to be-"
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