UNITED STATES 161 



have been accompanied by a decided increase each year in the 

 number of cattle left on farms. 



In a recent letter to members, the American National Live- 

 stock Association says : — 



During the year 1917 the number of cattle sent to market 

 for slaughter was the largest in history, and the fact that our 

 supply on January 1st, 1918, showed a substantial increase, 

 despite the larger slaughter, is convincing evidence that at 

 present there is no shortage of beef cattle. With the excep- 

 tion of 1916, the shipment of hogs to market during 1917 was 

 the largest ever recorded, and the present supply exceeds all 

 previous yearly estimates. . . . 



The live-stock industry of the United States responded to 

 the appeal of President Wilson, the Food Administration, and 

 the Department of Agricalture for increased production. 



More and more, as demands grow, do the greater pro- 

 duction of live-stock and the conservation of meat become 

 pressing necessities. While there has been a numerical in- 

 crease in live-stock in the United States in 1917, the tendency 

 of farmers to ship their cattle and hogs before they are properly 

 finished, due to advanced cost of feed and eagerness to get 

 high market prices, has brought about a decreased poundage 

 per animal. 



The records, borne out by those of the industry in general, 

 show a loss of weight of approximately 10 per cent in 1917 as 

 compared with 1916. This offsets the increase in numbers. 



During 1917 Armour & Company paid to live-stock pro- 

 ducers in the United States alone the sum of 341,743,275 

 dollars (£68,348,655) for cattle, hogs and sheep, or 109,167,133 

 dollars (£20,000,000) more than a similar poundage would have 

 cost at the 1915 scale of prices. This additional sum neces- 

 sarily had to be collected from consumers to be turned over to 

 producers. 



Obviously, we must look first to the producer. For him the 

 Government has largely taken the speculation out of produc- 

 tion, and inasmuch as his gains are assured for years to come, 

 he can combine patriotism with profit by increasing and im- 

 proving his herds. 



He must breed for quality that will produce maximum 



