AMERICAN, LIVE STOCK.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1400, 28 March 1912, Page 8

AMERICAN, LIVE STOCK.

DECREASE IN NUMBERS,

Estimates of the'numbers of.the several classes uf live, stock in the United States at the beginning of the present year have been issued by the American Department of Agriculture. They are based on the census returns for 11)10, and the reports as to percentage increases or decreases in 1!)U lir.-it and 1912 afterwards. The numbers are as follow:— Horses, 20,508,000, against 20,277.000 for 1911 and 19,883,1 l',l for 1910; mules, 1,"02,000, against 4,323,000 anil 4,209,709; milch cows, 20,099,000, against 20,82:1,000 and 20,630,122; other cattle, 37.2(19,000, against 39,079,000 and 41,173,711; total cattle, 5V,959,000, against C 0,502,000 and Gl,80.1,8(111; sheep. 52,302,000, against 53,3113,000 and 52,417,8(11; nigs, 85,110,000, against 05,020,000 and 58,135,707. Comparison with the figures of the census year is somowhat impaired by the enumeration of that year having been made on April 15. while it was for January 1, in 1911 and 1912.. Whatever allowance may be inado on this account, it is clear that tho reduction in the number of cattle other than milch cows has been considerable. As the figures stand it is not short of four millions since 1910, while it is 2,419,000 .since ,1911. The other changes show a moderato increase in horses, and a great one in pigs, since 1910. Estimates of average values per head show decreases for horses, mules, sheep, and pigs, a very slight decrease for milch cows, and a considerable | increase for other cattle.