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

~SSS'
prepared by the United States Department
of AsricuIture.)
There Is need for a considerable
expansion of the sheep industry in the
United States and the future holds
promise of much greater stability for
II than it has enjoyed in the past,
say workers Of the Department of
Agriculture. They believe the eXpan.
sion of the future will be character.
ized by less violent fluctuations than
lave been common heretofore because
there Is relatively little unoccupied
lard to which the industry can turn
and the pioneer phase of mutton and
wool production is rapidly passing.
Nevertheless 1t is pointed out that
the sheepn,an in this country will al
ways have to meet severe foreign com,
petition. He must not only compete
with wool growers in other countries
but with producers of other live stock
for land, labor and machinery of pro
dnction. There Is also the problem. OF
getting an adequate place for lamb
and mutton in the diet Of the country.
Moreover the s%heepmen are warned
that the recurring cycles of prosperity
OF depression that have been the bane
Of the sheep industry in the past can,
not be altogether eliminated. When
prices for mutton and wool are low
producers necessarily reduce their
ffOcks. This action increases the mum
her Of sheep marketed and causes ad,
ditional price depression. Later or
the supply Of wool and mutton gets
low sc that prices rise again. When
enlarge their flocks until the demand
is OvershOt again and the cycle is re-
peated. The sheep industry reached
q low point during the recent period
of financial depression. II is now
building up, but the departments
workers do not expect any early sat
uration of the home demand because
the market for mutton is continuine
strong and the country normally has
to import about half its wool supply.
Scientific knowledge Essential.
Many eastern and midwestern farm,
ers, it is said, can now more readily
meet the competition of the west range
operators. The eastern men have good
nearby markets and in many cases can
raise sheep ut a lower cost than is
possible under some western range con,
ditions. Rapid increase in the Fast
seems, however, to be limited by lack
of knowledge concerning the care of
sheep and also by the attractions of
other branches of farming. In the
West expansion is expected to be on
the basis Of higher operating costs
than formerly, but sheepmen are meet
ing this condition by eliminating waste
full methods and following scientific
principles in sheep raising, One handi-
cap Is the difficulty of securing ade-
ducte range Many operators using
the public domain are faced with un-
certainty as to how much longer these
lands will be available to them.
Important changes have taken place
I'm the sheep industry in the last twen-
ty years. Formerly sheep in the Unit
ed States were raised almost eXclu-
siveIy for wool. Recently the produc-
ticn Of mutton and lamb has assumed
a dominating place in the industry. In
many western range outfits lambs fur
nish approximately 50 per cent Of the
revenue. But one of the greatest prob
lens in marketing Is that of avoiding
congestion during the three-months'
period from August Is to November
Is, and the deIartment's specialists
urge sheeprIen throughout the coun-
try to give this matter their close at
tcntion.
Lamb receipts at leading markets
In this II ~ree-months' period are fire.
~quently much greater than can he
readily absorbed. Such gluts always
break prices. Autumn congestion IS
aggravated by the practice of martet-
Ing lambs of inferior quality at this
time. These inferior native lambs
have a depressing influence on the
market. Besides hurting the sale of
good lambs, they generally fetch
prices below production costs Sheep
mel who can get their lambs to market
earlier are advised TO do so; but If
the lambs are not suitable for slaugh-
ter before August they should be held
a few weeks or shipped to feed lots.
Another problem which the sheep
men are faced with Is that of win
ming a stable market for lamb and
mutton. Consumption of lamb and
mutton in this country varies widely
from year to year. From 1907 TO 1922
per capita consumption ranged from
At pounds in 1917 to 80 pounds In
1912. a variation Of more than "A per
cent. The Importance Of this variation
Is apparent when the fact Is taken
into account that there Is practically