THE DECREASING MEAT SUPPLY 263 



swine on farms on January 1, 1914, shows an increase, because 

 of higher prices, as follows: 



Estimated value, January, 1914 $1,930,087,000 



Census (1910) 1,534,600,000 



Increase in valuation $ 395,487,000 



The increase indicated is due to the fact that the estimates 

 show that the farm value of beef cattle has increased from 

 $19.07 to $31.13 a head, or 63.2%, an average annual increase 

 of over 15%. Swine have increased in value from $9.17 

 to $10.40 per head, or 13.4%. Sheep have decreased from an 

 estimated average farm value of $4.12 in 1910 to $4.04 in 

 1914. 



FARMERS NOT PROFITING BY INCREASED VALUATION 



This increase in the average value of meat animals, however, 

 does not necessarily mean that farmers or stock raisers are 

 making more, if any, profit. On the contrary, the cost of pro- 

 duction has probably increased more rapidly than the increase 

 in the selling price of live stock. 



SOME CAUSES OF THE SHORTAGE OF MEAT ANIMALS AND IN- 

 CREASE IN THEIR VALUE 



The shortage of meat animals is probably due to a number 

 of contributing causes. Some of the more important of these 

 are: 



The encroachment of farms upon the range territory. 



The lack of a proper range leasing law permitting econom- 

 ical management and utilization of ranges. 



The shortage in the corn and forage crop due to the severe 

 drought in Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma in 1913, which 

 caused the farmers in those States to dispose of their meat 

 animals. 



The increase in the value of land and the increased cost of 

 labor and stock feed, resulting in greatly increased cost of 

 production. 



The decline in stockraising on farms in the East and South 

 because of poor marketing facilities, resulting from many 

 local slaughtering establishments having been driven out of 



