Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1918 — BIG HERDS GONE [ARTICLE]

BIG HERDS GONE

WsrM War Waste* Eurepa’a Meat Supply. American Steck Raisers Co-operate With Feed Admin Iteration In Coacervation Measures. It Is probable that Europe for many years after the war will leek to a great exteat to America fer Its meat supply. Europe’s herds are dwindling under war’s demands faster than they can be replenished. .. When the German armies retired from occupied portlens es France ans Belgium approximately 1,800,000 head es cattle were appropriated. This addition virtually safeguarded Germany from cattlo shortage other nations now suffer. In England some 1,460,60 d acres es grass lands have by eempulsory measures been forced into grata production, thus reducing pasturage and hay lands. A declining scale of maximum meat prices for live cattlo was ordained In England, as follows: For September, $17.76 per hundred pounds; October, $17.28; Eovember and December, $16.08, and for January, $14.40. The evident intent of this measure was to drive the beef linlmals Into market as soon as possible. According to official Freaeh figures, the cattle es France have decreased to a total of 12,841,900 as compared with 14,907,000 ta 1918. Today, due to lack of forego principally*, Franco is producing only *ne gallon of milk where before the war two and one-half gallons wore produced. Meantime the United States food administration has taken steps to eonserve our flocks and herds and to ingrease their numbers. The stock breedora of this country show a dispooitioa to co-operate with the government in this. For many years it has been a practice among many of the dairy people es this country to kill male calved at birth and in many Astances the females If not needed to replenish their herds rather than go to the expense es maturing them into veal. The high prices of meat caused the virtual discontinuance of this killing. Another encouraging fact Is 75 per cent of calves killed for veal this year wore males. Somebody has very aptly said that the wan of the World have boon won with grease, meaning that bacon and lard have been as essential to suceern In war as powder, which is true. The hogs of Europe have been very greatly sacrificed to present day needs. This makes the American burden all the more heavy and makes doubly oesentlal an increased pork production ta this nation. In Italy grata la now forbidden to be fed to hoga. In Denmark under a recent order one-fourth of the hogs were ordered to be killed. It Is estimated that one-half have now been killed.