ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 



The year just closed has been one of unusual concern to Ari- 

 zona stockmen. A cold winter and late spring: caused considerable 

 losses among range animals in the northern and southern counties. 

 Summer and fall range was unusually good in Coconino, Yavapai 

 and parts of Mojave counties. The larger part of the range pro- 

 ducing districts received little summer, and practically no fall rains, 

 so that the year closed with ranges in bad condition, and Gila, Pinal, 

 Yuma, Maricopa, Cochise and Pima counties were losing many 

 animals. Over most of the range producing states the fall range 

 was inferior, and this closed the demand for stockers and thin cows 

 so that few animals were sold and prices ruled lower than they 

 were since 1913. This left the ranges much overstocked ; feeds 

 were scarce and high in price, so that losses have been unusually 

 severe. 



Except for the high mortality among shorn sheep and y(jung 

 lambs during the late spring sheepmen have had an unusually 

 profitable year; ewes, lambs and wool almost doubled in value. 

 Range was good in most of the sheep growing centers and no diffi- 

 culty was encountered in marketing the surplus. The sheep and 

 goat industries are on a sounder basis than ever before in the state 

 and increases in the numbers of these animals can be expected if 

 winter feed or range can be secured for them. 



In irrigated districts there has been a distinct tendency to 

 liquidate dairy cows, hogs and horses owing to the high price of 

 long staple cotton, forage and grains. Stockmen believe that there 

 is more money in producing crops for market than marketing them 

 through the live stock route. They lose sight of the important 

 consideration that live stock must ultimately be depended upon to 

 secure a market for most agricultural products, and it is certainly a 

 mistake at this time to go out of the dairy and hog producing busi- 

 ness in irrigated districts. 



Dry farmers are increasing their live stock holdings as a means 

 of utilizing crops. Range stockmen are looking more and more to 

 the production of feeds as an insurance against range shortage, and. 

 for finishing sheep and cattle for market. They have purchased 



