FUR FARMING APIARY PRODUCTS. RABBITS for MEAT. HORSES and MULES. FISH and SHELLFISH

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1 FACTS and FIGURES on OREGON'S MISCELLANEOUS ANIMALS FUR FARMING APIARY PRODUCTS GOATS and MOHAIR RABBITS for MEAT HORSES and MULES FISH and SHELLFISH FEDERAL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE OREGON STATE COLLEGE i CORVALLIS Cooperative Extension work in Agriculture and Home Economics, F. K Price, director. Oregon State College and the United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. Printed and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, EXTENSION CIRCULAR 574 NOVEMBER 1954

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3 OREGON'S MISCELLANEOUS ANIMALS F. H. ft\l-il O;o, Stt' (IF'q Oregon's diversified economy includes many specialized farm animal enterprises and the commercial fisheries. Income from miscellaneous farm animals in Oregon in 1952 exceeded $3,800, 000; four times as great as the average. These specialized industries contribute a little less than one per cent of the state's agricultural income. Fur farms, rabbits, and honey have been primarily responsible for the Increased income. Goats, horses, and mules are of less economic importance than before the war. Western Oregon counties account for almost nine-tenths of the income from this group. Clatsop, Tillamook, and Multnomah, in that order, are the leading counties. Data on Oregon's fisheries industry are included In this bulletin for reference. Only the commercial Industry is covered. Game fish and fish from farm ponds are not included. Table 1. Estimated Value of Miscellaneous Farm Animal Products Sold Average Period Fur farms 1Q - Honey and beeswax Mohair Other miscellaneous $ 510,000 $ 56,000 $ 164,000 $ 220,000 $ 950, ,037, , , ,000 1,935, , ,000 72, ,000 2,530,000 Aunnal Total , ,000 83,000 1,070,000 2,814, ,650, , ,000 1,230,000 3,386, ,120, ,000 91,000 1,300,000 3,802,000 Fur Farming MINK Mink were the only commercially Important animals raised primarily for pelts In Oregon in During that year Oregon mink farmers had on hand more than twice as many breeders as the warlime low in Number of pelts sold also more than doubled, but income increased by only 80 per cent. Prices dipped immediately after the war, and have remained well below the average price received in The mink industry has undergone a great change In the past decade. Prior to 1944, only natural, or dark, mink were raised. Since that time, hybrids have become increasingly important. Probably more than three-fourths of the breeding stock now kept by Oregon producers are hybrids. More than half of Oregon's mink production is concentrated in Clalsop, Tillamook, and Columbia counties. Note: This circular supersedes Extension Bulletin 679. Data were gathered from state and federal agencies, trade associations, farmers, county agents, and other informed persons.

4 OTHER FUR BEARING ANIMALS Chinchillas have shown a steady increase in Oregon while other fur bearers have declined sharply. Chinchtllas still are being raised primarily for breeding stock, rather than for pelts. About 3,500 adult chinchiflas were kept in Silver fox and muskrat have almost disappeared as commercial enterprises in Oregon. There were less than 100 adult silver foxes on ranches in 1952, and no commercial muskrats. A few karakul sheep were being grown for the lamb skins, but the industry is not significant. Apiary Products Oregon beekeepers had about six stands in 1962 for every five they had in One of the main reasons for this growth is the use of bees for pollination in the production of legume seed. Rentals for this purpose may sometimes equal income from honey. Rental charges in recent years have ranged from $3 to $7 per colony. Some rentals also have been made on a fixed fee, plus a seed production bonus. Estimates of income from this source are not available. Package bees and queen bees are an additional source of income to some beekeepers. An estimated 5 to 10 per cent of the honey produced is used in the homes of beekeepers. About half the colonies in Oregon are in the Wiflamette Valley. Other important areas are Jackson, Malheur, Baker, and Umatilla counties. Miscellaneous Animals on Farms GOATS Goat numbers in Oregon have been declining for nearly 15 years. There were only an estimated 50,000 goats of all kinds In 1953, compared to 150,000 in The decrease has been almost entirely in mohair types. Milk goat numbers have remained fairly constant. The number of goats clipped fluctuates widely from year to year, mainly due to mohair price changes. Many mohair goats run in brush pasture, and are not clipped unless mohair prices are favorable. During times of very high prices, two clippings a year may be made. RABBITS The increase in Oregon's rabbit production that started during World War U has continued up to the present time. Rabbit numbers have nearly doubled during the past 10 years. No income data are available. HORSES and MULES Oregon farmers are keeping fewer horses and mules each year. Saddle horses probably make up the bulk of the animals now kept on farms. Considerable buying and selling is done, but income data are not available. Table 2. Mink: Number on Ranches, Pelt Production, and Value of Sales iflreeon Year Number on ranches Pelts taken Value of sales ,300 49,000 $ 980, ,300 58,000 1,100, ,300 57, , ,000 60,000 1,260, ,800 64,100 1,350, ,300 82,400 1,650, ,600 95,000 2,120,000 Source: Mink numbers and pelt production since 1948 rounded from data supplied by National Board of Fur Farm Organizations. Value of sales estimates by Oregon State College Extension Service. 4

5 Table 3. Apiary Products: Colonies of Bees Honey and Beeswax Production, and Value of Sales (Oregon ) Year Colonies of bees Honey Beeswax Value of sales Pounds Pounds ,000 1,904,000 44,000 $ 526, ,000 2,277,000 57, , ,000 2,048,000 45, , , , , ,000 2,135,000 47, , ,000 2,275,000 50, , ,000 1,860,000 39, , ,000 2,052,000 31, ,000 Source U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service. Value of sales estimates by Oregon State College Extension Service. Table 4. Goats: Number Clipped. Mohair Production, and Value of Sales ) Year Goats clipped Mohair Value of sales Pounds , ,000 $ 83, , ,000 80, , ,000 43, , ,000 42, , ,000 83, , , , , ,000 91, , , ,000 Source: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service. Table 5. Number of Miscellaneous Animals on January 1 (Oregon, ) Period Horses and mules All goats Milk goats All rabbits Average , ,000 15,300 73, ,400 71,500 13, Annual ,000 79,000 13,500 92, ,000 69,000 14,000 96, ,000 63,000 14, , ,000 64,000 13, , ,000 53,700 12, , ,000 53,000 12, , ,000 52,700 13, , ,000 50,000 13, ,000 Source: Estimates of horses and mules from U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service. Other estimates by Oregon State College Extension Service.

6 ... Table 6. Number of Miscellaneous Animals on January 1 and Value of Miscellaneous Animal Products Sold lfl,,'nn 1 51 County and Horses All Milk All Value district and mules goats goats rabbits of sales District 1 Benton ,000 5,500 $ 70,000 Clackainas 2,400 3,600 1,650 20, ,000 Lane 2,500 7,000 1,200 11, Llnn 1, ,700 90,000 Marion...2,000 4, , ,000 Multnomah 1, , ,000 Polk 800 2,ZOC 200 3,000 48,000 Washington 1,300 1, , ,000 Yam.hill 800 3, Q 135,000 Total District 1. 13,000 28,300 6,500 76,200 $ 1,588,000 Distrlci 2 Clatsop ,500 $ 620,000 Columbia , ,000 Coos 900 3, ,400 80,000 Curry , ,000 Lincoln 400 3, ,000 50,000 Tillamook ,000 TotalDistrlct2. 3,100 9,700 1,670 13,400 $ 1,430,000 Dltrict 3 Douglas 1,600 9,000 1,700 10,000 $ 100,000 Jackson...2,100 2,500 1,200 6, ,000 Josephine 800 1,700 1,300 1,400 37,000 TotalDistrict3. 4,500 13,200 4,200 17,700 $ 257,000 DIstrict 4 Gilliam $ 5,000 Hood River ,000 38,000 Morrow... 1, ,000 Sherman ,000 Umatilla 3, ,300 48,000 Wasco 1, ,000 9,000 Wheeler 1, ,000 Total District 4 8, ,150 $ 113,000 District 5 Baker 3, ,500 $ 22,000 Malheur 6, ,000 26,000 Union 2, , ,000 Wallows 3, ,000 14,000 Total District 5. 14, ,500 $ 237,000 Ditrlct 6 Crook 2, ,800 $ 20,000 Deachutes 1, ,600 17,000 Grant... 2, ,600 5,000 Harney... 3, ,000 Jefferson ,000 Klaniath...3, , ,000 Lake 3, ,000 TotalDlstrict6. 15, ,250 $ 175,000 STATE TOTAL. 60,000 52,700 13, ,200 $ 3,800,000

7 57,741,000 1,306,000 Fhh nd ShellFish Commercial fishing Is one of Oregon's major sources of income. Total poundage has decreased since 1948, but Income still Is about three times higher than the average. During the 10-year period fishermen received an average of more than 8 million dollars a year. The poorest year was slightly over 7 million dollars. Chinook salmon is the most important single species to the Oregon fisherman. Sole and flounder are becoming Increasingly important, as are rockfish. The catch of albacore tuna has fallen off steadily since its peak in Both crabs and oysters are considerably above the pre-war catch, but crab has declined from the wartime high in Table 7. All commercial Fish and Shellfish, Quantity and Value of Catch (Oreznn Year Quantity Value of sales Pounds ,048,000 $ 734, ,752, , ,221,000 1,356, ,693,000 1,479, ,008,000 3,442, ,000 2,256, ,392,000 2,077, ,995, I ,000 2,609, ,728,000 2,400, ,513,000 2,459, ,203,000 2,742, ,725,000 5,350, ,326,000 7,191, ,289,000 7,781, ,026,000 7,936, ,774,000 7,507, ,298,000 7,701, ,000 9,767, ,962,000 11,462, ,096,000 7,066, ,256,000 7,151, ,046,000 7,184,000 Source U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Table 8. Commercial Catch of Fish and Shellfish, by Kinds Year Year Year K'nd avera e g Pounds Pounds Pounds pounds Pounds Pounds [ Chinook salmon. 12,042,000 13,061,000 12,626,000 8,576,000 9,426,000 7,896,000 Silver salmon.. 7,987,000 3,943, ,000 2,722,000 3,862,000 4,318,000 Steelhead... 1,753,000 1,860,000 1,376, , ,000 1,380,000 Other salmon!/. 1,776,000 2,835,000 1,197, , , ,000 Tuna... 3,173,000 12,152,000 8,030,000 5,386,000 2,917,000 2,586,000 Cod ,000 1,507,000 1,475,000 1,070,000 1,510, ,000 Sole and Flounder 727,000 5,446,000 8,700,000 13,213,000 13,351,000 11,838,000 Halibut , ,000 5,917, , , ,000 Rockfish ,000 4,422,000 8,904,000 5,174,000 6,642,000 7,119,000 Sturgeon 76, , , , , ,000 Shad , , ,000 1,152, ,000 I Smelt , , , , , ,000 Crabs... 4,393,000 8,348,000 8,082,000 6,045,000 6,420,000 5,995,000 Clams , , , , , ,000 Oysters 115, , , , ,000 2/ Nonfood 38,607,000 fish.. 12,819,000 2,908, , , , , ,000J00 17,000 1/ Blueback and Chum 2/ Not available 7

8 1,087, ,000 Table 9. Commercial Ocean and Bay Fish Catch Delivered to Oregon Ports, by Kind Fish (Oregon, ) average Pounds Pounds Pounds Pounds Cklnooksalmon 2, ,052,000 2,665,000 3,016,000 Silversalmon 1,429,000 1,253,000 2,273,000 2,774,000 Sturgeon 12,000 4,000 2,000 5,000 Tuna ,000 5,386,000 2,917, ,000 Cod... 1,475,000 1, ,510, ,000 Rockuish 8,904,000 5,114,000 6,642,000 7,119,000 Soleandflounder 9,292,000 13,213,000 13,351,000 11,838,000 halibut 592, , , ,000 Shark 232, , , ,000 Other nonfood fish 1,454, , , ,000 Livers...548,000 88,000 34,000 17,000 Source: Compiled from data supplied by Oregon State Fish CommisSion. Table 10. Commercial Food Fish Catch In Rivera, by Kind (Oregon, ) Fish average Pounds pounds Pounds Pounds Chinook salmon 10,532,000 7,524,000 6,761,000 4,880,000 Sllversahnon 2,270,000 1,470,000 1,589,000 1,544,000 Chum salmon 1,045, , , ,000 Blueback salmon 146, , , ,000 Steeihead 1,363, , ,000 1,380,000 Sturgeon 275, , ,000 Smelt 438, , , ,000 Shad 1,537,000 1,306,000 1,152, ,000 Striped bass 131, ,000 18,000 Source: Compiled from data supplied by Oregon State Fish CommisSion. Table 11. CommercIal Food Fish Catch, by River (Oregon, L River average Pounds Pounds Pounds Pounds Alsea Bay and River 221, , , ,000 ColumbiaRiver 14,109,000 10,486,000 9,354,000 7,890,000 Cooe Bay and tributaries...413, , , ,000 Coquille River...156, , , ,000 Nabalem River 463, , , ,000 Siletz River 75,000 49,000 67,000 68,000 Siuslaw River 220, , ,000 89,000 T11J.amook Bay and tributaries.. 492, , ,000 Umpaua River 837, , , ,000 Yaqulna Bay and tributaries.. 123, ,000 60,000 Source: Compiled from data supplied by Oregon State Fish Commission.