| OCR Text |
Show of Parowan, Utah, by John K, for $1300, all prices were generally much lower in 1930. At the 16th annual Ram Sale in 1931, the stud ram, "Governor", opened the Sale and made the high figure of the event at $550-going to J. W. Owens of Ozona, Texas. The ram was rated as being even superior to the top one of the previous year. It was impossible to predict how prices would go-or to understand the wide gaps between them. THE DEPRESSION There was some wool-buying activity in 1931, but the general decline was evident, and the railroads offered even lower freight rates to help the discouraged sheepmen. Lower prices in depressed wool and lamb markets were reflected in the lack of volume in sales of breeding stock'-and a continuation of the trend could be ruinous. If the season's crop of yearling rams ready for use as breeding stock by range men was not purchased by them, and the breeder was forced to feed that crop through the coming winter-^the result could be catastrophic. No breeder could afford to buy enough extra feed to provide for them-besides feeding the rest of his sheep. The full impact of the depression hit the business of John K that year, and his only salvation was in his few-very few-^current sales at the ranch. Something had to be done about the situation. 204 |
