420 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



MARKETING LIVE STOCK. 

 Farmers' Bulletin No. 184, U. S. Department of AgricvUure. 



STOCK YARDS. 



Organization and location. Stock yards in different cities are or- 

 ganized on the same general lines. The ownership and control is vested 

 in an incorporated company, in many cases the name Union Stock 

 Yards Company being adopted. This company usually owns the land 

 ethe yards cover, or control its use. Frequently the shares of stock in 

 such yards are owned more or less largely by the railway companies that 

 have tracks in or alongside these yards. The yards are usually located 

 in the suburbs of the cities, owing to the considerable space they oc- 

 cupy. Those 'of Chicago are about four miles southwest of the heart of 

 the business section; those of Omaha are in the southern suburbs; those 

 of Buffalo some miles east of the city; and those of Boston at Brighton, 

 five miles west from the city. The yards are located so as to be easilv 

 penetrated by the various railways engaged in live stock transportation. 



Arrangement of stock yards. The space devoted to j^ards is divided 

 into sections and blocks, after the manner of laying out a town site. 

 There are main drives and alleys, with the space between filled with 

 stock houses and pens. A live stock exchange usually occupies a promi- 

 nent and convenient situation in the yards. Packing houses and other 

 buildings associated with the trade may also be located in the yards, 

 or on land adjoining. Each class of stock is usually grouped in build- 

 ings or pens more or less restricted to its kind. The horse barns are 

 always separate and not in the main inclosure. Cattle, sheep and hogs 

 may be under the same roof, yet in different sections and pens. 



The pens used for handling stock are supplied with feed boxes and 

 running water. Ldnes of railway switch alongside or into the yards, 

 and one or more cars, or an entire trainload. may be quickly unloaded 

 on a receiving platform alongside the pens. 



LIA^ STOCK EXCHA]N^GES. 



The methods employed in the yards in different cities will neces; 

 sarily differ somewhat, yet. excepting in minor matters, the customs 

 are much the same. The rules and regulations are provided by the live 

 stock exchange, which is a branch of the National Live Stock Exchange. 

 A local live stock exchange is really an oiganization of dealers in the 

 yards who buy and sell a large part of the stock shipped in. Tn the 

 exchange building are its headquarters, and here are the various offices 

 of the live stock commission men. The exchange has a board of officers, 

 consisting of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and board 

 of directors. There are also committees in charge of certain work of 

 the exchange. Th^ purpose of this exchange, as set forth in the charter 

 of the Chicago Live Stock Exchange, is "to establish and maintain a 

 commercial exchange; to promote uniformity in the customs and usages 



