The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-05-27
LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY GROWS TO
IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INCOME

IDEA Oh the CROWN Oh the CdLll0 III
dustry in this state can be understood
when it is known that in 1857 there
were only, 263,290 cattle on farms,
while on January /, 1927, there were
2,739,000 head of all cattle on farms.
The value of cattle on farms January
1, 1867, was estimated to be $6,143,933,
compared with $125, 165, 900 January l,
1927. However, due to a rather un.
favorable season which caused short
pasturage the number on hand Janu.
airy 1, 1927, showed a slight decrease
from 1926 when there were 2,853,00
head on farms with value of $685..
114,000.
MILK COWS AND HEIFERS: This
classification includes all milk cows
and heifers years old and over kept
for milk, but does not include heifers
from l to years old and heifer calves
being kept for milk cows. Minnesota,
from dairy standpoint, has made
wonderful progress during the last so
years. Based on number of milk cows
on farms January /, 1927, Minnesota
ranks second in the United States, be-
ing exceeded only by Wisconsin which
had 2,O14,00O, while Minnesota had
1,529,000. New York comes third with
1,31S,000 and Iowa fourth with 1,314..
600; Illinois is next with only 9S8,000.
In other words, per cent of all the
milk cows in the United States are
on Minnesota farms. IL the year 1857
or 60 years ago, there were only 100,-
507 cows on Minnesota farms, but
there has been steady increase until
the last three years. The great i'm
petus to the dairy industry occurred
in 1907, when the number had in
creased to 1,019,700. The farm value
of the 1,529,000 cows and heifers on
farms January l, 1927. was estimated
to be $93,269,000, compared with l.,
100000 on farms January l, 1926, and.
a farm value of $92,040,0 900.
HEIFERS / TO 2 YEARS OLD
KEPT FOR MILK COWS: While
there was some depletion IN milk
cows, due perhaps to poor crops and
lack of sufficient feed as well as poor
pasturage last summer. Minnesota
farmers have not lost faith in the milk
cow as an economic stabilizer, be-
cause it is estimated that on January
1, 1927, there were $4,000 heifers
from 1 to 2 years old on farms, com.
pared with 100000 January 1, 1926,
and 100000 January 1. 1925.
SHEEP AND LAMBS: During the
past two years, especially in 1926,
sheep raising in Minnesota has made
rapid progress. Activities of rail.
roads, credit corporations and county
agents, no doubt, played great part
in bringing about this increase Sheep
are being put on farms in sections of
the state where weeds have gained a
stronghold with the hope that these
animals will aid In their elimination
or, at least, place them under control.
The $4,000 sheep and lambs on farms
January 1, 1927, is the largest number
that has been reported on January 1,
Of any year. Previous to that time the
banner year was 1919, when $4,000
sheep were reported on farms. Sixty
years ago there were only 130,314
sheep reported on farms with farm
value of S350,715, while the $4,000
head on farms January 1, 1927, had
farm value of $6,529,000. 1t was esti-
mated that on January 1, 1925, there
were $4,000 sheep and lambs on farms
with farm value of $6,056,000.
WOOL PRODUCTION: With the
increase in sheep on Minnesota farms
the past two years the production of
wool also has shown quite an increase.
The five-year 1919-1923) average was
2.547,000 pounds, while in 1925 it
was 3,294,000 and for 1926 the produc-
ton was estimated to be 3,392,000
pounds. Based on the December Is
average price for Minnesotas un.
washed wool, as reported to the Divi-
sion of Crop and Livestock Estimates,
the farm value of the 1926 produc-
ton was $1,0S5,440, compared with
$1.1S5,840 in 1925.
SWINE: The swine Industry has
made great strides in Minnesota DUR
ing the past sixty years. In 1867 the
number reported on farms January
was 144,302 While there was a
rather steady increase the first big
increase came in 1901 when the mum.
Der on farms had increased to 1907
$40. The number reached 2,075, 600 in
1917 and in 1928 it was estimated to
be 3,650,000. On January 1, 1927, the
number on farms was estimated to be
3,525,000 with a farm value of $751;
6SS,000, compared with 3,456,00 head
January 1, 1926, and farm value Of
$50, 100000.