144 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

 SPECIAL CATTLE AND SHEEP REPORTS. 



Two conferences were held, one at Chicago and Denver, at which 

 the general outlines of the new livestock estimating work in the 

 Corn Belt States were decided upon, and one at Denver, where plans 

 for the range Sta*tes were drawn up. At these conferences repre- 

 sentatives of livestock producers were present. The program decided 

 upon covered not only largel}^ increased information as to changes 

 in livestock production but also information as to probable market 

 supplies to be available at seasonal periods from various States and 

 regions. 



While there was available considerable general information as to 

 livestock market supplies, little attempt had ever been made to deter- 

 mine the actual origins of these supplies, either as among different 

 States or different regions of production, and none to localize sources 

 of supply within States as shown by actual marketings. In order 

 to obtain this basic historical information, it w^as necessary to go to 

 sources that were largely new and compile records that had never 

 been worked up before. This included the records of stoclvyard com- 

 panies, packing establishments, railroads, sanitary boards, and other 

 organizations that handle or have authority over the handling of 

 livestock in its marketing processes. 



The information secured covered three years, 1920, 1921, and 1922, 

 and involved a vast amount of work in compiling and organizing. 

 With some exceptions this work has been completed in the Corn Belt 

 and Western S-tates, and when it is all done complete information 

 will be available for the first time as to the total marketings of live- 

 stock by species from these States, covering the monthly volume, 

 the marketing channels, important contributing areas, the "in" move- 

 ment of stocker and feeder animals, and the proportion of the total 

 numbers marketed that are raised in each State and that are only 

 finished there. Intelligently interpreted, this information offers a 

 reasonably safe basis for making numerical estimates of probable 

 market supplies. The reports issued during the year covering the 

 Corn Belt and adjacent areas have included estimates of — 



(1) Cattle on feed in the Corn Belt on December 1, 1922, as compared to the 

 same date in 1921, with information as to the source and character of the 

 cattle on feed and the indicated time of marketing ; with which was combined 

 an estimate of cattle on feed for market in the Western States. 



(2) Sheep and lambs on feed December 1, 1922, as compared with the same 

 date in 1921, covering both the Corn Belt and the western irrigated regions 

 separately and combined. 



(3) Cattle on feed January 1, 1923. 



(4) Sheep and lambs on feed .January 1, 1923. 



(5) Early spring lamb crop on important areas, principally California, Ken- 

 tucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, but including also Corn Belt areas as of 

 March 1. 



(6) Cattle on feed in the Corn Belt on April 1, 1923, as compared to April 

 1, 1922, with information as to the character of the cattle and the indicated 

 dates of marketing. 



(7) Report on the development and condition of the early lamb crop to 

 April 1. 



(8) Report on the condition of the early lamb crop on May 1 and the progress 

 of marketing. 



The reports for the 17 Western States made during the fiscal year 

 included : 



(1) Monthly estimates of condition of ranges, cattle, and sheep, expressed 

 as percentages of normal condition. These reports, especially the range and 



