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Show TftDLvestoclc ikJ5ituatioriJ i I Los Angeles, November 19, 1934 I Los Angeles has developed into one ! of the major meat packing centers of j the United States. Amazing has been the development of the packing business, busi-ness, which has more than kept pace with increased population. Cattle and calf slaughter has increased from 135,000 in 1915 to 527,000 in 1933, with certainty that the 1934 cattle slaughter will show further gains. Los Angeles packers slaughtered 220,000 hogs in 1915; in 1933, the total was 980,000; sheep and lamb slaughter jumped from 386,000 in 1915 to 1,061,000 last year. California during the past twenty years has changed from a surplus livestock producing state where it was necessary for California producers pro-ducers to ship their livestock to eastern east-ern markets, to a state' where a large share of the livestock consumed must come from other states. It is now estimated that about 70 per cent of the beef consumed in California is raised in California, thus offering producers in other western states a better market for their cattle. Only about 25 per cent of the pork consumed con-sumed in California is raised in Cali-forni.a Cali-forni.a Development of permanent pastures pas-tures is proving of great economic benefit to many sheepmen, hog producers pro-ducers and dairymen. Ladino clover pastures in the San Joaquin valley have proved highly successful in both lamb fattening and for carrying dairy herds. California's hay crop in 1933 brought producers an estimated total of $30,000,000. The 1934 crop, slightly smaller than in 1933 but selling sell-ing at far better prices, is expected to realize $50,000,000 to hay growers, ,.ouble the value of the 1932 crop. Value of all cattle in California on January 1, 1934, was estimated at $74,382,000. Only about one per cent of the 1,800,000 cattle in the state were purchased under the federal drouth program as compared with in excess of 50 per cent in North Dakota Da-kota and 20 per cent in the western range country as a whole. Per capita lamb anc. beef consumption consump-tion in California is higher than the average for the United States as a whole, proving that Californians do not live entirely upon the climate. The California per capita lamb and mutton consumption per year is estimated esti-mated at 16.8 pounds, more than double the average for the country. Californians ate 70 pounds of beef per capita last year against the United States average of 53.4 pounds. U. S. No. 1 alfalfa hay which was selling in southern California a year ago for $15.00 a ton is now quoted at $17.50. Hay growers are making substantial profits in the irrigated areas this year. Crops have held up about a normal basis but supplies have been reduced because of drouth in other sections. |