The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1924-01-31

no foreign trade in lamb and mutton.
More lamb and mutton is eaten In the
Northeast and far western sections
than elsewhere. Its consumption Is
lowest in the South Atlantic, South
Central and North Central states.
Mutton Consumption Increases.
Improved methods of slaughter and
the development of artificial refrisera.
ton and refrigerated transportation
have greatly increased the conSump.
ton of mutton in the United States in
'he last thirty. years. IL is, however,
""nsi terably lower than in many other
countries. Average annual per capita
consumption of lamb and mutton for
tn" ~ten-year period l912-1921 in the
united States was g. pounds. This
compares with a per capita consump-
ton Of 9 pounds in Canada In 1910;
267 pounds in the United Kingdom
from 1895 to 1908; 9 pounds in France
in 1904 and in Germany Of only %
pounds a year for l904-l913.
In these periods the consumption Of
lamb and mutton in these countries
constituted the following percentages
OF tie fetal meat consumption: 4.35
per cent in the United States; 5.57
per cent for Canada 22.25 per cent
for the United Kingdom; 1925 pei
cent for Fra..cc; l.91 per cen for
Germany.
Thus it Is evident that the problem
Of increasing consumption in this to1-.
try is al important n Largely be-
cause of the dual character Of the
sheep industry, which requires IA steady
market for both meats and wool, the
sheepman's marketing problems are
more. difficult than those of either the
cattle or the hog producer. People
in this country perfer strictly fresh,
father than frozen, lamb and mutton.
But mnttOn c9nn0t be stored satisfac-
torily without freezing for more than
a short time. II is therefore difficult
to move sheep from distant points Of
production TO consuming centers with
out deterioration. There Is frequently
heavy loss through shrinkage and
other cauSes resulting from long hauls.
Extension of :he domestic market for
lamb and mutton and improvements in
the method of supplying it are thus
vital needs Of the industry.
Good Wool Demand Apparent.
Wool marketing. is much easier.
Though the United States is the third
country in wool production and has
produced an average of 300, 1000, 900
pounds a year for the last thirty-fve
years, 1t has never met the home de-
mand. Imports for some years prior
to the war averaged 200,000,000 pounds.
They reached a peak at 453, 727, 900
pounds in 1913. Probably a normal
annual amount which must be import
ed is around 100000, 900 pounds. Amer
lean ~sheepmen have therefore no need
to be afraid of o~vershooting the home
demand for wool. Since 1921 wool
prices have more than doubled. The
problem of selling wool Is not to Gre
ate a market but to take the best adj
vantage of the one that exists.
This has been attempted In the last
few years by considerable extension
of cooperative marketing. Great guam
titles of wool are now assembled an
nually by wool pools and held at GEN.
trail points for inspection by wool buy
ers. Cooperation, however, has seer
its greatest development in the farm
flock regions. On the range, co-opera-
tive marketing is comparatively new,
and affects only a small portion of the
wool sold by large ranching outfits.
1t has, however, achieved SOME sue
cess. Results indicate that co-opera-
tive selling stimulates competition
among buyers, facilitates businesslike
transactions, and tends to check over
loading of markets.
The ratio of the number of sheep to
population in the United States has de-
clined since 1884. From 1899 to 1903
there were about 5 sheep for every 9
people. Ten years later there were
only 4. From 1919 70 1923 there were
only 2.S sheep for every s people. or
about 1-3 of a sheep per person. New
ertheless the total production of wool
has remained practically constant ow-
ing to increase In the weight of the
fieeces. Per capita consumption of
wool has been maintained by great In.
creases in imports.
IN. HN.I a....#aML t#L .NHM