1916] ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 667 



I, Statistics of live stock, meat production and consumption, prices, and m- 

 tcrnational trade lor many countries, G. K. Holmes. — This treats of the num- 

 ber of meat animals in the United States and other countries, meat exports and 

 imports, production and consumption, losses of meat animals, prices, meat- 

 producing conditions in other countries, and conditions and problems in the 

 United States. Under this last heading are treated local origin of cattle for 

 slaughter and feeding, age of beef cattle, yearly marketings of meat animals, 

 yearly slaughterings at principal places, increase of retail over wholesale price, 

 and 1-year tenancies. 



II. Live-stock production in the eleven far western range States. Based on 

 reports from stockmen and cotintij correspondents, W. C. Barnes and J. T. 

 .Tardine. — The data contained in this report are based upon studios made in the 

 summer of 1914 of conditions in Arizon, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, 

 Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. 



The studies sliow that in these 11 States there was an estimated reduction 

 of 859,120 cattle and 4,537,578 sheep in 1914, as compared with 1910. Con- 

 sidering four sheep as the equivalent of one cow, this means a reduction of ap- 

 I)roximately 13 per cent in live stock (cattle and sheep). The entry and 

 settlement of approximately 85,500,000 acres of lands in these States since 1909 

 has resulted in a decrease of approximately 16 per cent in live-stock production 

 since 1910 due to the breaking up of ranges formerly used as breeding grounds 

 for cattle and sheep. High prices and general farm development in the range 

 region have resulted in increased winter feeding of range live stuck, thereby re- 

 ducing the amount of range necessary per animal, and consequently in part 

 offsetting the decrease due to settlement. " Uncertainty as to future condi- 

 tions, difficulty of securing money for purchase of breeding stock, increase in 

 value of land and dairy products, improvement in grade and weight of animals 

 at the expense of numbers, drought and severe winters, and range deteriora- 

 tion have had some effect in bringing about decreases in numbers during a part 

 of the period 1910-1914, but, considering this period as a whole, these factors 

 had only a small influence in the aggregate." 



As regards the possibilities of increased production in the future the investi- 

 gations indicate that there will probably be an increase of 15 per cent in the 

 next ten years, from 1915 to 1924, inclusive, because settlers on approximately 

 100.000,000 acres of range lands settled since 1905 will turn to raising live 

 stock ; the carrying capacity of summer range within National Forests will in- 

 crease probably 15 per cent, and winter feeding adjacent to National Forest 

 ranges will probably increase accordingly; and better management of stock, 

 both on farms and on the range, will result in greater economy in the use of 

 forage and, consequently, will increase the number of stock produced with a 

 given amount of forage. 



From a study of the cost of production, it is concluded that for sections of 

 the West where winter feeding is practiced the man who contemplates substi- 

 tuting live stock for other forms of agriculture should figure on a cost of ap- 

 proximately .$30 for the production of a good yearling, and .$45 for the produc- 

 tion of a good long 2-year-old ; this cost to include labor, market value of feeds, 

 taxes, loss, bull service, and any depreciation of breeding stock. In sections of 

 these same States where only a part of the stock is fed in winter the cost of 

 producing a yearling may be set at approximately $25, and of a 2-year-old at 

 $35. In the range sections of the Southwest the cost of producing a yearling 

 may be set at from $15 to $19, varying greatly with the number of calves per 

 100 cows, and the cost of producing a long 2-year-old at approximately from 

 $20 to $25. The average weight given for a 2-year-old steer in the feeding sec- 

 tions is 960 lbs. At $45 as the cost of production, the cost per pound is about 



