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Show SHIPPING LIVE STOCK Farmers' live-stock shipping associations associa-tions have proved so successfull that, although the first was not formed until 1908, the Department of Agriculture now has a list of approximately 500 that are shipping stock in a cooperative way. About 200 of these are Minnesota, where the movement started, and the remainder are chiefly in the Middle West. The main purpose of these associations associa-tions is to enable their members to ship in carload lots to the central markets instead of being more at the mercy of local buyers in disposing of a few animals ani-mals from time to time. The fact that no capital is required for the organization organiza-tion of such an association, says a new publication of the department, Farmers' Farm-ers' Bulletin 718, which deals with this subject, makes these associations possible pos-sible in communities in which more complicated forms of cooperation would not succeed. The bulletin, however, points out that such associations are scarcely practicable in regions where there is so much live stock that it is generally marketed in carload lots under un-der any circumstances or where there is so little that the association has practically prac-tically nothing with which to work. To organize such an association it is necessary only for the farmers of the community to meet together, adopt a simple constitution and by-laws, a sample sam-ple of which is given in the bulletin already al-ready mentioned, to elect officers, and, in turn, for them to appoint a manager. It is recommended, although it is not absolutely necessary, that the organization organ-ization incorporate. ThTs can be done at a normal cost usually not more than $10. For this smill expenditurj of trouble and money the association usually enables the farmer to market his stock when it is reidy instead instead in-stead of compelling him to wait until the local shipper is ready to buy it. He Continued on page 8) SHIPPING LIVE STOCK (Continued from page one) obtains for himself the benefits of the cheaper carload transportation, and the shipments of the association realize real-ize fo-- the owner the market price of his stock less the actual cost of marketing. market-ing. In particular, it has been found that when thin stock, calves, or lambs are sold in small numbers, the local price is usually very low. It is on this class of stock that the associations have been able to save their members the most money. In order to avoid a misunderstanding, it is important that all stock be marked at the shipping point. Tnis precaunion prevents disputes in regards to shrinkage shrink-age and dockage and assist in making adjustments in case of loss or damage in transit. There are threh common of marking. Numbers or other characters may be clipped in some conspicious part of the animal, paint may be employed, or numbered ear tags used. The last method is the least frequent because it is somewhat difficult at the stockyards to gei close enough to the animal to see the number on the tag. If the second method is adopted, ordinary paint is undesirable, un-desirable, especially for hogs as it does not dry readily enough to prevent Bmearing. This difficulty may be over-corns over-corns by using paint containing about one-fourth varnish. In the case of sheep however, painting is objectionable because be-cause the marks will not scour out ard wool manufacturers object to them, and branping fluid therefore is preferable. Whatever system of marking is adopted, adop-ted, the important features are that it should be uniform for all shipments and that the marks should be plain and conspicious. con-spicious. In manv cases hogs are not marked, but are graded by the manager at the shipping point. A record of those subject to dockage is kept in such cases. Marking is advised, however, as a precaution against mistakes. (To be continued) |