Beef Producers of the West 49 



cost of producing cattle conducted by the writer for the 

 Cattle and Horse Raisers' Association of Oregon indicate 

 that with present (1916) prices the average cattle-man of 

 the Northwest will have left as income from the grass 

 land after he pays interest on his cattle, on one ton of 

 hay to a head and other incidentals, not to exceed $2.50 

 a head. Therefore, the man who invests in range land 

 should figure that land enough for a cow will produce not 

 over $2.50 per annum. 



The reason that the present ranges are devoted to 

 cattle rather than to some other form of agriculture, is 

 because the land is too rough to be used for anything but 

 cattle, sheep, or horses, and the competition of the farmer 

 horse-breeder has largely done away with the range 

 horse-men. The range is still rather evenly divided 

 between cattle and sheep. The chief reason for raising 

 cattle in preference to sheep is the absence of high moun- 

 tain pastures where the grass will be green throughout the 

 summer. This green grass is necessary for the ewes and 

 their lambs, but the cattle can thrive in the drier sections. 

 The high mountains of the Forest Reserves are especially 

 suitable to sheep, and would be almost exclusively devoted 

 to that industry were it not for the policy of the forest 

 oflBcials, who prefer cattle to sheep on account of the less 

 damage done to young trees. The Forest Supervisor 

 often refuses to allow cattle-men to run sheep in place of 

 cattle, but will readily grant permission to make opposite 

 change. These are the most important factors, although 

 in many cases the large amount of work and worry con- 

 nected with the sheep business leads the stockman to take 

 up cattle instead; while personal preference is another 

 factor. 



