PROFITS OF THE AMERICAN STOCKOWNERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 221, 9 November 1880, Page 4

PROFITS OF THE AMERICAN STOCKOWNERS.

The profits of tbo stockowner are very great, having averaged for years 33 per cent. No doubt this is by far the moßt remunerative branch of American farming, bufc to secure the greatest return a large amount of money must be employed. For instance, ifc is computed that tbe owner of 10,000 cattle and 150 horses ought to have 7000 dols or 8000 dols more in cash to work tbe range profitably. Small herds do nofc answer like large ones. Ifc is almost as cheap and eaey to manage 5000 cattle as it is to attend to 1,000. A heard of 5000 musfc have 100 horses fbr the cow-boys or catt ! e men, while 10,000 would only require 150. Tbe horses are worth from 25 dols to 40 dols, and are chiefly bred in Texas. The expenses of keeping a fair sized herd of cattle for twelve months do not exceed H d°l 8 P er head, and in some instances they are as low as 1 doi. "Witbin 100 square miles of Cheynne, in Wyoming Territory, are herdß ranging from 1000 to 35,000 head of cattle. Tbeir average value is now stated to be 20 dols per head. In this territory the losses among cattle from all causes are only put down at 2£ per cent per annum. In Texas and other districts the losses are estimated from sto 10 per cenfc. A herd of 10,000 cattle Bhould annually produce frona 1500to 2000 bead of fat Btock, of these 20 per cent will be cows, the reßt three and a half and four year-old steers, witb a value of 25 to 30 dols. The cost of raising such a bullock, including losses and all expenses, could nofc be more than 10 dols. The costs of shipping by rail from Cheyenne to Chicago ia 7 J dols, including freight, feeding, attendance, and commission. Arrived at Chicago, they are generally sold in the market at so much per. 100 lbs live weight. A few may be disposed of aB stores, bufc most of them are killed in the great slaughter-houses of that city. Some are sent another 900 miies to New York, and are there killed, bufc a few of the very primesfc do nofc end fcheir long and toilsome journey until they are landed in Great Britain. — Messrs. Read and PelVs Report.