FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VI. 485 



SHOKTAGE OF BEEF. 



Much has been said and written concerning the shortage of beef, 

 and Ave are compelled to believe that there is an actual beef shortage, 

 the solution of which is one of the most important problems before our 

 American people. The rapid increase in population, making a larger 

 demand for beef, has caused higher prices. 



On this account, many farmers have sold their breeding herds as 

 well as the nominal increase of female stock, with the result that we 

 are now facing more or less of a beef famine. 



From as accurate data as is possible to secure, this shortage of beef 

 is not limited to the United States and to our corn belt states, but it is 

 the case in most of the world's beef producing countries. In none of 

 the ten beef producing countries of the world except France and Aus- 

 tralia, has the beef production kept pace with the Increase in population 

 during the past ten years. Neither one of these countries need be con- 

 sidered to a great extent in the world's beef supply. In the ten beef 

 producing countries referred to, there has been, during the last ten or 

 twelve years, an average increase in population of 19.9 per cent, and 

 of cattle only 2.18 per cent. 



SHORTAGE IN THE UNITED STATES. 



Statistics show a decrease of nearly 60 per cent in the number of 

 breeding beef cattle in the past twelve years in the cattle producing 

 states west of the Missouri river, total beef cattle in the United States, 

 numbering in 1900 nearly 50,500,000, have decreased to less than 36,- 

 000,000 in 1913, compared with the population of the country, which has 

 increased nearly 20,000,000 in the same time. In other words, the popu- 

 lation of the country has increased 25 per cent, while the number of 

 beef cattle has decreased 30' per cent. 



SHORTAGE IN lOW^A. 



Our own state has suffered proportional loss in the numbers of 

 beef cattle. In 1900, the beef cattle in the state numbered 3,900,000, 

 and the population 2,230,000. In 1912, the population was 2,224,000, and 

 the beef cattle 2,773,000 showing a decrease of population of 1 per cent 

 with a decrease in the number of beef cattle of some 30 per cent. 



BEEF CATTLE CONDITIONS IN lOAVA. 



While the above statistics deal only slightly with the existing condi- 

 tions in our own state as w^ell as in our western states and also southern 

 it is strong enough indication as to what must be done in order to remedy 

 the shortage. We have seen during the past few weeks a slight decline 

 in the market price of cattle. This, under existing conditions, might 

 have been expected. How^ever, we cannot but expect good prices to be 

 maintained. Probably some weeks may find .the market somewhat un- 

 steady, but it is the firm belief of all men who study the market that 

 the days of cheap beef are past. With the division of the range into 

 smaller farms, the growing of larger acreage of grains in the west and 

 south, a smaller supply of beef cattle from the former range states must 

 be expected. If Iowa and other corn belt states are to remain beef pro- 



