Report of State Veterinarian. 45 



inspector for the removal of each animal from the public stock 

 yards. Permits for the removal of unsound animals may then be 

 refused by the inspector in charge. 



Still another piece of legislation which, from my investiga- 

 tion, I think would be of immense benefit toward encouraging in- 

 dependent packers, is a law requiring all packing plants to quote 

 meat f. o. b. the same price for all points in the State. In any town 

 where an independent packing firm attempts to operate to any 

 extent, meat is sold by the trust packing houses much cheaper than 

 the same quality is sold in other towns of the State. At Sedalia 

 and Webb City, for instance, where independent firms are operat- 

 ing, the carcasses of beef, in quality known as dressed beef, are 

 sold by the trust packing houses for about the same price they 

 charge in other towns of the State for a lower quality of meat 

 known as "butcher" stuff. This practice makes it next to impos- 

 sible for any independent firm to do a profitable packing business. 

 There is no assurance that an independent packer will not be 

 closed out of business by such competition at any time. Under 

 these conditions, it is unsafe for any independent firm to invest 

 much money in a packing plant. The law ought to provide that 

 meat of any given quality should be quoted to all towns of this 

 State at the same price. If this law is avoided by substituting 

 meat of a higher quality in those towns where there is independent 

 competition, the law ought to provide for federal inspectors at the 

 packing plants to grade the meats, so that evasion of the law by 

 this plan would not be possible. 



The act of the Board of Agriculture, which will help a great 

 deal along the line of promoting independent packing houses, is 

 to pass an order making it a policy of the Board to extend to any 

 independent packing firm or city abattoir the privilege of handling 

 southern cattle for immediate slaughter. This can be done with 

 absolute safety. At Kansas City alone, in the year 1905, there 

 were received in the southern pens for immediate slaughter 332,- 

 000 head of cattle. Out of this number, those that are classed as 

 butcher stuff, sell for about 50 cents per hundred less in the south- 

 ern pens than cattle of the same quality in native pens. This is 

 equivalent to $5.00 per head for every 1,000-pound steer. The trust 

 packing houses only have access to cattle in the southern pens. 

 The independent packers must buy in the native pens or in. mar- 

 kets controlled by them. The privilege of dealing in southern cat- 

 tle extended to the independent packer will do a great deal toward 

 his success. 



