The Bozeman courier., 1926-10-01

Inc question OF consumer QeillduU
in the Pacific Southwest has been
dealt with, and it seems in keeping |
to view the accessibility of prOduc-
tion to these consuming centers.
With the steadily increasing con-
summer demand on the south Pacific
coast, particularly in the territory di-
rectly adjacent to Los Angeles
which has more than doubled in pop
ulation in five years), the lines of
available production of meat food
animals were forced to expand. In
the early days in California, the
state was not only self sustaining
from a meat food standpoint, but was
an exporter of cattle, hogs, and
sheep.
However, as consumer demand in
creased, it exceeded the available sup
ply within the state; the source of
supply necessarily moved eastward
to supplement the local supplies, and
at the present time, despite recent
favorable developments in the live
stock industry, less than so per cent
Of the cattle, Is per cent of the sheep
and 10 per cent of the hogs required
to meet local demands are produced
within the state.
n the establishment of the South
Pacific coast as a livestock outlet
the accessibility of production of
meat food animals was of prime i'm
portance. In analyzing the situation
it was found that not only was live
stock available in the territory which
could be considered contiguous to the
market, in sufficient amounts to sup
lply the coast demand, but immense
quantities which might be economical
" shipped to Los Angeles for pack
ing and distribution to world ports
through the port Of Los Angeles were
available.
This is an element that has not
yet been developed to an appreciable
extent, but its potential possibilities
are easily recognized, particularly
when it is considered that two thirds
of the worlds population dwell upon
the Pacific ocean. With the progress
being made in the development of the
Orient, it is only a matter Of time
until those countries will be substan-
tial importers of meat food products,
a considerable part of which will
move as livestock from the producing
sections of the western part of the
United States, through the port of
Los Angeles, where it will be con-
verted into the finished product and
from there distributed.
The territory from which this live
stock will move will, for MANY years
to come at least, be an exporter of
livestock. This conclusion is based
upon the fact that out of some 40
million beef cattle in the United
States, nearly 25 million are located
west Of the Missouri river, eoualing
: 65 per cent of the entire number
There are nearly a billion dollars
worth Of beef cattle N the United
States and about this same per cent.
age is territorially true, although the
per centage in dollars is not quite Sc
high, due to the more extensive de.
velopment Of feed lot operations II
the middle west and east.
In addition to the above, there arr
around 80 million sheep in the United
, States, with nearly 80 million or n
per cent west Of the Missouri rivel
in territory from which it is possibl,
to move to che west coast for distri
button.
The figures on swine are not quit,
so outstanding, as out of some 81
million hogs in the United States
about 18 million are in the territor,
under discussion, or some 80 per cent
but even shis figure compared witt
the population Of the territory wes
of the Missouri river shows a goo,
balance in favor Of the western mar
kets. aNFHFg
Taking these approximate percent
ages: Beef cattle IS per cent; sheer
~ per cert and hogs 80 per cent, a
representing the livestock population
in the United States west Of the Mis-
souri river, and then considering tha
Of the 120 million people in the Unit
ed States, but "A million, or 20 pc