NOTES. 399 



A remunerative and reasonably stable market were declared indispensable to 

 the further development of the industry. An increased meat supply will come 

 only as a result of higher prices. For a generation or more meat products 

 have been sold at a price which does not cover the cost of production under 

 present-day conditions. It was prophesied that any considerable increase in the 

 production of beef cattle in the United States will come from the establishment 

 of small hei'ds on many farms, rather than of large herds on extensive areas; 

 and it was maintained that no considerable area oftei's more favorble conditions 

 for beef production than the corn belt, and hence that that section holds the 

 key to the solution of the cattle situation. 



The Economic Aspects of Meat Production and Marketing were treated by 

 Prof. L. D. Hall, of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, who showed that while 

 there has been an apparent decrease in meat animals, due in part to the method 

 of census taking, a reaction has taken place in the last two or three years in 

 favor of a restocking of farms. This was cited to show the readiness with 

 which the industry can respond to the stimulus of increased returns. 



The present problem of marketing was stated to relate in very large measure 

 to the great central markets, at which more than half of the cattle, two-fliirds 

 of the swine, and approximately four-lifths of the sheep of the country are 

 slaughtered. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the financing 

 of live stock production and feeding, especially of cattle and sheep, is largely 

 centralized in these market centers ; by the periodicity in the marketing of 

 certain classes and grades of live stock, which gives buyers the advantage ; 

 and by the custom of consigning the bulk of the stock to the markets on one, two, 

 or three days of the week. " It is evident that every effort should be exerted 

 to take up the slack in a system that contemplates raising a steer in Texas, 

 grazing him in Montana, fattening him in Iowa, selling him in Chicago, 

 slaughtering him at New York, and sending surplus fresh cuts in refrigerator 

 cars as far west as the Missouri River." A tendency was noted to develop local 

 slaughtering and packing industries and farmers' cooperative packing com- 

 panies. The marketing of live stock, particularly of hogs, is coming to be re- 

 garded as the limiting factor of their production. 



One of the greatest needs of the live stock industry, it was pointed out, is 

 more complete official information for growers and feeders as to the supply 

 and distribution of meat animals, both fat stock and feeders, the movement of 

 live stock, quotations at the various markets based on standard classes and 

 grades, and the stocks of fresh meats and meat products at principal points. 

 Such information, it was maintained, would contribute very materially to the 

 stability of conditions and give the producer a truer understanding of the econ- 

 omics of his business. 



Dr. A. R. Ward, of the Bureau of Animal Industry, discussed the topic of 

 Disease Control as a Factor in Meat Production. In this he showed the 

 enormity of the direct loss from animal diseases, estimated to amount to ap- 

 proximately $212,000,000 annually. About 58 per cent of the meat and meat 

 animals are slaughtered under federal inspection, which furnishes a reliable 

 means of studying the ravages of animal diseases. The greatest losses are from 

 diseases that have been demonstrated to be preventable and controllable. Nearly 

 two per cent of the animals slaughtered under federal inspection in 1914 were 

 condemned in whole or in part on account of disease. Tuberculosis caused the 

 largest number of condemnations and hog cholera next. The burden v.iiich 

 these losses impose on the meat producing industries of the country was em- 

 phasized. The blighting effect of Texas fever upon a large section of the 

 country was also referred to, and the success in the campaign for eradication 



