Show Livestock LOS ANGELES Oct 29 Is Is the reindeer a menace to our present source of meat food supply This question is being asked these days daS as the extent of or the reindeer population in Alaska is realized Fos Fos- Fostered Fostered Fostered by the United States govern govern- government government ment mend the reindeer population of Alas Alas- Alaska Alaska ka Ic has bas developed de until there are arc now GOO head in domestic herds I IraI raised raI ed under under much the same con con- conditions conI I as surround our beef cattle and I Sheep Industry stry on the range Rein Rein- Reindeer Reindeer deer thrive under climatic and feed conditions con which would not permit or ordinary or-I or or- or beef cattle to survive Last year ear It is reported that reindeer were slaughtered In Alaska frozen and shipped to the United States This year the number is estimated at to The carcasses average a pounds These carcasses are loaded aboard refrigerated refrigerated boats and most of the supply moves to Seattle where the meat meM Is shipped to the thickly settled centers east cast of the Rocky mountains Recent Recent- Recently ly the San Francisco market was in invaded In- In Invaded and at least one on large San Francisco cafe featured Alaska rein rein- reindeer reindeer deer meat on its menu While this amount of meat Is negligible insofar as the meat food supply of the United States is concerned there is said to tobe tobe tobe be a good profit in the business and plenty of pasture available for an Im Im- Immense ImI Im- Im Immense I mense development de which might prove to be Ix a hazard to the present source of our meat food supply Reindeer meat compares somewhat with Ith the California venison People are arc said to cat the meat its s a novelty but few seem to care for It as a steady diet From the restaurant standpoint the carcass goes too heavily fore fore- forequarter forequarter ore ore- quarter and the neck and shoulders are very waste making the actual amount of saleable meat in irs a carcass small With prices slightly higher than I are being paid on the Pacific coast for forI I beef meat Jobbers have ha found that reindeer meat ment proves pro to be high in price Probably the greatest grea t objection the consumer may find against reindeer meat is that there is no sanitary pro pro- protection protection thrown about the business as asis asis is the case with beef lamb iamb and pork The United States bureau of animal Industry regards Alaska reindeer meat In iii the same category with wild game therefore has no Jurisdiction as far as Inspection for diseases or wholesome- wholesome wholesomeness ness is Neither hM hu the American public ever taken to frozen meats of any kind From the standpoint of agriculture as S a whole it should be remembered that beef cattle sheep and hogs are arean arean arean an important part of our general structure returning rich fertilizer value alue to the soil The livestock business busi busl- business ness takes a leading part in the fin fin- financial financial ancial structure of or the disc agriculture program and should the Alaska rein rein- reindeer reindeer deer Jeer meat mea t importations reach size size- able proportions it might seriously threaten American livestock producers through depreciating the value of domestic livestock Considering beef pork and mutton as a major food we must recognize the competitive element clement between such meat foods and practically every other article of food tood particularly poultry rabbits and game in season The preparation and distribution of beef pork and mutton is under very strict supervision ision In the Interest of the pub pub- public public lic lie health This service represents an expenditure of a 0 large sum of money a large share of which is born direct dIrect- directly ly by the producer Apparently with the tendency to Increase production of many things that enter directly into competition with our major meat food supply some attention is due to the question of protecting the public health In a IL similar manner The cattle industry in particular has passed through a most serious I period of depression and is Just emerging emergIng emergIng ing into a more profitable era No Noone No Noone Noone one competitive commodity is going to make heavy y Inroads on the con con- consumption consumption of our major list but it is the great number of so-called so meat substitutes representing largely fads and fancier that may hurt We shouldn't try to attempt to restrict th development of food lines Unes but we should see ee to it that such activities arc surrounded by proper safeguards In hi the interest of public good |