TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 83 



pounds of meat to the American Army and Navy at home and 

 abroad and to the Allied nations. In 1918, its Chicago plant 

 converted into dressed meat 450,000 cattle, 142,000 calves, 

 1,200,000 sheep, and 1,144,000 hogs. 



The American packing industry has made the outlet for 

 American meats practically world-wide, and has afforded to 

 the American grower of live stock an opportunity not enjoyed 

 by producers elsewhere. The development of the American 

 meat industry made a demand for cattle; cattle made a demand 

 for corn, and increased its price; corn land rapidly increased in 

 value, and with it all have come better farmers, better farming, 

 and a more prosperous American agriculture. 



The cattle business of today. The unknown quantities of 

 shipping and marketing, which were the bugbear of the cattle- 

 man of earlier times, have been reduced to a minimum. The 

 producer of cattle knows, or ought to know, if he is to succeed 

 in his business, just what grade his cattle will be classified under 

 when they come before the buyer. Each class has its own price, 

 varying from day to day in response to supply and demand. 

 Daily market reports put the producer in touch with conditions 

 and prices, and commission men advise him by letter whether 

 it is a good time or a bad time to ship. Whereas charges were 

 formerly uncertain, now they are definitely fixed, and the feeder 

 can figure out all expenditures to the cent before his cattle start 

 for market. Railway rates are much lower than twenty-five 

 years ago, transportation is more direct and fast, there is much 

 less cruelty to the animals in transit, less loss in transit, and 

 less shrink between feed-lot and market. 



Yardage at Chicago is 30 cents per head for cattle and 20 

 cents for calves. Hajr is $4fi per ton. The commission charges 

 for selling cattle at Chicagd are as follows: Cattle in car lots, 

 70 cents per head; minimum per car $14, maximum $18. Calves 

 in car lots, 30 cents per head; single-deck cars, minimum $14, 

 maximum $18; double-deck cars, minimum $20, maximum $23. 

 Less than 15 cattle in one car, $1 per head. Less than 28 calves 

 in one car, 50 cents per head. 



As success in the commission business rests upon soundness 

 of judgment, honesty, and skill, very few consignors undertake 

 to do their own selling, but do it more profitably through the 

 medium of the commission man. Today it is almost entirely 

 a question of intelligence and industry in the business of cattle 



