M MONTANA FARM REVIEW 



RESULTS OF MONTANA PIG CROP 



Surveys 1922-1925 



SOWS BRED 



Fall 1922 compared with Actual 1921 



Spring 1923 compared with Actual 1922 117 



Fall 1923 compared with Actual 1922 174 



Spring 1924 compared with Actual 1923 128 



Fall 1924 compared with Actual 1923 140 



Spring 1925 compared with Actual 1924 96 



Fall 1925 compared with Actual 1924 101 



SOWS FARROWED • 



Spring 1922 compared with Spring 1921 



Fall 1922 compared with Fall 1921 173 



Spring 1923 compared with Spring 1922 1^ 



Foil 1923 compared with Fall 1922 107 



Spring 1924 compared with Spring 1923 127 



Fall 1924 compared with Fall 1923 96 



Spring 1925 compared with Spring 1924 83 



Fall 1925 compared with Fall 1924 79 



PIGS SAVED PER LITTER IN ABOVE 



Spring 1922, average saved per litter 



Fall 1922, average saved per litter 5.0 



Spring 1923, average saved per litter 5,8 



Fall 1923, average saved per litter 5.9 



Spring 1924, average saved per litter 5.2 



Fall 1924, average saved per litter , 5.4 



Spring 1925, average saved per litter 6.3 



Fall 1925, average saved per litter 6.1 



Sheep. 



The sheep population of Montana has now reached the highest point in the 

 past ten years, the number as estimated on January 1, 1926, being 2,837,000 ex- 

 ceeding that of preceding years bacli to 1916 when 3,020,000 were estimated. 



The 1926 estimate compares with 2,579,000 head revised estimate for January 

 1, 1925. Further revisions of sheep estimates for the period 1920 to 1925 were 

 contemplated in connection with the annual revisions in January, but were delayed 

 pending the completion of the census count of 1924. 



The trend of both sheep and wool production has been sharply upward from 

 the low point reached in 1921, following the heavy liquidation of the 1920 defla- 

 tion. Factors influencing this trend have been as follows: 



(1) The quick recovery of sheep, lamb and wool prices in 1921 and relatively 

 high levels maintained thereafter in relation to other farm prices. 



(2) The relatively liberal credit extended to sheep men during this period. 

 While present numbers of sheep are well above those of recent years they are 



below the peak reached in the days of open range conditions, prior to the coming 

 of the dry-land farmer. This peak was reached in 1901 when sheep numbers 

 were estimated at 6,417,000 head. Wool production attained its peak three years 

 later when a total of 37,773,000 pounds was secured. 



The present outlook for the sheep industry while not as favorable as a year 

 ago, in view of the trends of sheep and wool priecs, still offers a very good pros- 

 pect to Montana sheep rnen. The winter season to date has been very favorable 

 for ewes and with normal weather conditions at lambing time a good lamb crop 

 can be expected. There is not evident the signs of expansion that prevailed a 

 year ago and on the other hand some indications that Montana sheep men will 

 operate on a somewhat more conservative basis compared with 1925. 



