Show trace livestock boom in W world orld war I 1 from file he flies files of tile otili wa writers ditc itc rs project with prices on tho the upturn and livestock producers pledging large scale expansion to meet the growing demands ot of a wartime eco mony morlY certain parallels between betwee ll the present alatua situation and iho boom of world war I 1 can be drawn which might serve to steer stockmen stoc kmen from tho the mistakes elstak 04 of f the past according to information complied compiled by tho the utah writers project ifor for a history or grazing in III utah livestock conditions condl tlona from I 1 1910 glo to 1910 19 it wore were considered normal I 1 with prices maintaining an oven even keel and tile the industry solvent and prosperous from 1915 prices rose gradually through tho war period until in 1518 1018 steers were selling belling from 18 to 20 cents and wool for as much as 65 cents n R pound owes ewes brought up to 20 per head under thesel those favorable market con illions stoc stockmen kmen were encouraged to expand beyond their natural limits liy by borrowing money with which to buy additional stock land hay bay and grain or anything which would promote expansion A lot of money was mado made during these years but few ren obeis were farsighted enough to build up a reserve sinking the pro tits fits right back into expansion prices maintained a level leve linto into the hard winter of 0 1919 when thu over stocked industry found itself alarmingly short of food somo some producers were forced voiced to sacrifice breed bleed ing stock as beer beef others determined to weather r the storm borrowed additional money to pu ichaso hay bay at from froin 30 to 50 por poi ton and barley and oats at high prices some stockmen stoc kmen shipped their stock to be fed during tile the winter then shipped them back in tho spring of 0 1920 this necessitated more borrowing and by thit aha th it I 1 time market prices had propped alarmingly owing to a lessened buy ing power throughout the nation tho the next few years were learn lean and ough and a staggering blow had been con delivered to tho the livestock industry gradually however through the late twenties improved Impi oved conditions invade it possible for a majority of stockmen stoc kmen to pull through the same cycle was repeated more viciously luring dining the thirties when prolonged depression made recovery impossible tor for many producers and they were forced out of business with the cycle once again pointing upward the live stock industry would do well to plot its moves carefully with an eyo eye to the future |