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latest reports, 8,546,000 cattle, 2,810,000 horsec and mules, 

 and 28,366,000 sheep. The national forests support in these 

 states 17 per cent of the total number of cattle grazed, 3.48 

 per cent of horses and mules, and 27.5 per cent of sheep. 



It is estimated that the annual product of these ani- 

 mals is 300,000 head of beef cattle of various ages and grades 

 and 5,000,000 head of lambs and mutton sheep. 



Since the average net meat weight of a beef animal 

 is 515 pounds, of a lamb 37 pounds, and of a sheep 52 pounds, 

 the stock grazed on national forests in the eleven far-western 

 states produce annually about 155 million pounds of beef and 

 312 million pounds of mutton. In addition, it is said the 

 wool grown totals 55,000,000 pounds, hides approximate 300,000 

 in number, and pelts 5,000,000. 



This output, according to the forest service, does 

 not involve any material sacrifice of forest or watershed 

 protection or permanent forage productivity on the national 

 forests. The system of range management applied by the gov- 

 ernment has proved, it is claimed, effective and simple, and 

 the quality and quantity of the national forar;^ crop Is said 

 to be improving each year. 



