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Show TSLivestoclcl SituationJ During these times of readjust-j ments and summing up it is well to reflect on production costs and particularly partic-ularly the elimination of unnecessary transportation of livestock. There are some costs which cannot be changed 9uch as interest, labor and taxes-However, taxes-However, it must be acknowledged that economic changes are taking place in the entire livestock industry, all of which may be relied upon to cut down and finally wipe out needless need-less wastes. The hog situation seems to offer the best example of wasted transportation trans-portation with the resultant loss by shrinkage, mortality and meat food tissue as well as the freight charges. There is no valid reasn why the Pacific Pa-cific Slope Consumers should be forced forc-ed to depend upon sections 1,500 to 2,000 miles distant for their pork supplies. The Intermountain country and parts of the Southwest and a considerable portion of the Pacific Coast are well situated for the production pro-duction of hogs; yet this section imports im-ports by far the bulk of its hogs and pork products from the Mjddle West. Within the section mentioned there is an immense supply of barley available avail-able to hog feeders at relatively low prices. Feed grades of sacked barley are quoted at prices ranging from $30 to $35 per ton. With" 12c hogs barley j will return a handsome profit when marketed through the medium of i hogs. j It might also be pointed out that ! alfalfa which is grown in practically all parts of the west and is Califor- j nia's largest single crop is not only j the cheapest but the best pasture for j young hogs. There are any number of concentrates available. The hog will wax fat on cull fruits, cull beans, and other products of the farm and i;;:ch which . otherwise are wasted-. Th 3 Los Angeles market alone re- quires the product of more than one million hogs annually. Another great saving in transportation transporta-tion costs might be affected with feeder lambs. Due to scant pasurage in most sections of California, Nevada Nev-ada and Arizona the proportion of thin lambs is now much larger than normally. There is at present a broad demand for feeder lambs in the Mjddle Mjd-dle west due to the prospects of a big corn crop and that section also has a lot of forage. It is good business, under these conditions, to seek that outlet for our surplus but on the other hand, there is a sustained demand for lab and mutton on the Pacific Coast the year 'round. There are any number num-ber of farms and ranches in the West which could economically fatten lambs on what otherwise would be wasted or sold at a much lower price than if marketed in the form of lamb or mutton. Our big barley crops would undoubtedly un-doubtedly bring a much more attractive attrac-tive price as lamb than if sold as grain. The stubble field offers a splendid opportunity for salvage profit. pro-fit. Many small farms and orchards can fatten a carload or two of lambs at little cost. Unnecessary transportation transpor-tation and waste could be saved and the surplus feeds made to return better financial results; at the same time providing a much needed "a highly desirable diversification. Ma cattle outfits could well afford fatten out thin steers rather than ( pend entirely upon the elements 1 feed or sending the catle out of t country for fattening with a lik hood of bringing the same animi back to us for beef when fattened. California and Arizona particulat will have a large cotton crop tl year and in most instances, ranch can get a supply of cotton seed ca within a short distance of his ran and at a price within reach and tl cake used in this way to suppleme the grasses should pay splendid r turns by not only putting some a-I a-I ditional weight on the animal but I ! changing its classification from . feeder to a finished critter. Live stock always has been tl j basic source of wealth and prosperit j and in the West the utilization c available feeds' will add materially 1 i our prosperity; at the same tin ' filling a much needed place in su j plying the Pacific Coast markets wit ; a year 'round supply of pork, lam and beef. |