Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-17
Effect of Drought
On Cattle Industry
by HARDEN CoLFAX.

Prices OF live stock are likely to re-
main low for very extended period
after which it Is highly probable that
they will advance sharply. 1t Is doubt
full II consumers will pay any less for
the meat they buy In the immediate
future than they have been paying In
the recent past.
Live stock growers and feeders face
fairly Encouraging period, unless
they are able to hold their stock of
the market for some time to come
while the packers in the immediate fu-
ture have an excellent opportunity for
fair profits.
The drought, which broke all rec
ords this year, is the factor which will
tend to bring about the conditions
noted above. The ranges still are dried
up, the corn crop has been badly dam
aged and forage crops have been
sharply reduced.
1t Is feared by members OF the Farm
Board and by the Department of Ag-
riculture that these conditions will
force many stock raiserS TO send their
animals to market In the immediate
future. That would mean a Cutting of
the markets throughout the country
for q considerable period and a con-
tinuation Of extremely low prices for
the animals
Railroad men in various sections of
the country, who are closely in touch
with shipments of dairy products, as
sert that many dairy farmers will be
compelled to cut down their herds. In
some sections of the West there Is a
shortage of water for the stock, as
we'll as shortage of food. Farmers
are making every effort to hold on to
thar rfYafil thie fe mast
Whether they will be able to do so de-
ponds a great deal on their individual
financial position.
Corn Is high and not likely to be
lower. The hay crop has been almost
entirely destroyed. In some sections
the last alfalfa crop has been allowed
TO 60 to seed. Railroad men In the
Middle West and Intermountain West
declare the only hope of the live stock
raiser is TO buy beet pulp or oil cake to
supplement what food exists for their
stock.
The number of dairy cattle in the
country at present is high, There are
dairy class. The cattle herds have been
gradually built up and the calf crop
has been heavy. The pig crop this
Fall promises to be fairly large, and
the lamb crop of 1880 was probably
the largest In the history of the in-
dustry All of these factors tend to-
ward low prices for the immediate
future.
n \ y
On the other hand, when the tide
does turn, high prices would seem to be
inevitable, because herds will be cut
down to low proportions, marketings
will be small and supply not above
demand. But while the farmer will
get more for his stock in the future, In
all probability he will have to replace
the animals which he has had to sell
at low prices at the present time
This will cut sharply into his profits
The packers, however, are in IA
vored situation. They must, of course
take in, day by day, the offerings that
are made In the open markets through
out the country, but they are taking
these animals at comparatively low
prices New methods of refrigeration
will enable them to keep stocks of meat
for extended periods without deteriora'
ton. They will In most cases have te
borrow money to finance these OUTLAWS
but money rates are low at present and