Nationwide Food Survey Reported
Record feed gram production
in 1967 and the large number of
animals available for feeding
point to another year of large
red meat supplies and potential
downward pressure on prices of
slaughter livestock When feed
grain supplies are large and
prices are relatively low, live
stock feeders in the past have
tended to extend the normal
feeding period and market ani
mals at heavier weights Such
action in 1968 may materially
lower their rate of return, as
well as cause some industry
wide problems, according to Ag
ricultural Economists from the
Economic Research Service
Feed is one of the major costs
in livestock feeding A feeder’s
profit is determined to a large
extent by his ability to convert
feed into meat efficiently The
cheapest weight gams usually
are made when animals are
young and in their fastest stage
of giowth Feeding efficiency
genei ally declines as animals
mature and gain weight since
more energy is required for body
maintenance Cons e q u ently,
more feed is needed for each
pound of gain, and the cost of
gam rises
The following data illustrate
changes in feed conversion ef
ficiency for livestock from in
itial feeder weights to normal
slaughter finish. Although de
tailed information on feeding ef
ficiency of livestock kept beyond
normal finish is limited, the data
available show that efficiency
continues to decline as weights
increase, often at an accelerated
rate
The decrease in feed conver
sion efficiency for cattle, lambs
and hogs as they gam weight is
pointed out in the National Re
search Council’s Reports on Nu
trient Requirements of Domestic
Animals These reports show the
feed conversion ratio for 600
pound yearling feeder steers is
about 6 7 to 1 as compared to a
ratio of 8 3 to 1 at 800 pounds
and 11 2 at 1,100 pounds In oth
er words, two-thirds more feed
is required to put on a pound of
gain as the animal nears 1,100
pounds than was required at 600
ppunds
When cattle are fed to weights
in excess of 1,100 pounds, the
conversion efficiency ratio de
clines even more sharply. For
example, in a University of II-
linois study of steer feeding,
only 6 pounds ot teed were re
quired per pound of gain during
the first 28 days on feed, com
pared with over 20 pounds of
feed per pound of gain the last
28 days This was for yearling
steers fed 308 days and mar
keted at an average weight of
1,442 pounds
The American National Cattle
men’s Association has published
a summary of data from vari
ous university studies and in
formation from individual cattle
feeders throughout the U S
which show similar results
Generally, feed costs per pound
of gain in cattle more than triple
o v e r a year’s feeding period.
Furthermore, costs increase at
an increasing rate as cattle are
fed to heavier weights As the
animals pass desirable market
weight, the cost of gain becomes
critically high This clearly
show s'the profitability ot mar
keting cattle as soon as they
reach the desired grade.
Although hogs convert feed
more efficiently than either cat
tle or lambs, the changes in feed
conversion ratios follow similar
patterns The National Research
Council data indicate that the
conversion ratio increases about
45 percent in the growing and
fattening of 50 pound feeder pigs
to 225 pound slaughter hogs
About 2 8 pounds of feed were
required per pound of gam from
50 to 75 pounds, 3 9 pounds from
125-175 pounds, and 4 1 pounds
of feed per pound of gam from
175-225 pounds A study a. North
Dakota State University showed
similar conversion rates up to
225 pounds, with further in
creases in feed requirements
above this weight
Individual livestock feeders
may experience different con
version rates, and results may
vary between different pens of
livestock However, commercial
feed-lots which have kept rec
ords on feed requirements at
varying weights tend to confirm
the foregoing illustrations It is
clear that feeding to heavy
weights results in substantially
increased costs per pound of
gam
In addition to incurring extra
costs in feeding to heavy
weights, other economic factors
come into play and further re
duce returns to feeders and to
the industry Of major impor
tance is the depressing effect on
prices of the increased tonnage
of meat produced and the price
discounts on heavyweight car
casses that develop when aver
age slaughter weights increase
The demand for meat in total
has grown substantially in re
cent years However, the growth
in demand has not been con
sistent for all meats Per capita
beef consumption i n c r e a sed
from 81 pounds in 1959 to over
106 pounds in 1967, with fed beef
consumption increasing trom 45
pounds to 71 pounds Per capita
pork consumption, on the other
hand, declined from almost 68
pounds in 1959 to 58 pounds in
1966, before increasing to near
ly 64 pounds in 1967 lamb and
mutton consumption rose from
4 8 pounds in 1959 to 5 2 pounds
in 1962 but declined to less than
4 pounds m 1967
Because of the differing de
mands for each of the red meats,
supply changes affect prices of
each diffeiently With the growth
m demand for beef, moderate
increases m beef supplies can be
utilized without serious price
consequences However, with a
relatively less favorable demand
situation for pork, larger sup
plies tend to depress prices
more
Livestock producers can bene
fit individually and as a group
by giving careful consideration
to costs and the advantages of
moving animals to market at
desirable market weights Any
action taken to ease the pres
s u r e on livestock prices that
would result from larger sup
plies—and from an over supply
of unusually heavy animals will
be beneficial Such action will
tend to keep total meat produc
tion in line with effective de‘-
mand and strengthen livestock
prices throughout the industry
Producers can reduce their own
feeding costs as well as improve
their rate of returns by exercis
ing judgment in feeding live
stock for market
mmrfimtx
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 2,1968
Pennsylvania farms have a one percent from a year ago.
livestock population of 2 4 mil- Hogs increased one percent to
lion animals worth $408.6 mil- 455,000 Sheep totaled 176,000,
lion, according to the State Crop down two percent
Reporting Service The cattle are valued at $390
The Service’s animal inven- million, hogs at $l5 5 million
tory lists 1.8 million cattle, up and sheep at $3 million.
PUBLIC AUCTION
REGISTERED & HIGH GRADE
HOLSTEIN DAIRY CATTLE
60 - HEAD - 60
Sale to be held in the dairy arena at the Abeideen Sales
Company in Churchville, Harford County, Md.. located on Md,
Rt. 22, 6 mi. east of Bel Air, Md. (via U. S. Rt. 1) and 6 mi. west
of Aberdeen, Md. (via U. S. 40 & 195 Kennedy Highway) on
FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1968
At 7:30 P.M. (night sale)
We will sell the complete herd of Fred Mills of Fallston, Md.
This herd is home raised and has been using artificial breeding
tor the past few years. Ten cows are recently fresh, several are
close springers and the balance is in full flow of milk and bred
back.
We will also sell 15 fresh and close springers from one of our
best local herds.
Ten close springing holstein heifers will be sold plus other
consignments.
The following information will be available at sale time:
freshening dates, breeding dates, due dates and milk weights.
All cattle are T. B. Accredited, Certified Bangs Free and test'
ed within 30 days of sale.
A BALTIMORE MILK BASE of approximately 1000 lbs. will
be sold.
Auctioneers:
Kent R. Ferrell, Jr.
John H. O’Neill
PUBLIC SALE
Farm Machinery
THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1968
At 11 AM. Sharp
At W. E. Fry Farm, Hellam, Pa. The undersigned will
offer at public sale the following.
FARM MACHINERY
Farmall Super M tractor with power steering and remote
control, Farmall Super C tractor with remote control, MH #33
Diesel, John Deere #B tractor, John Deere #45 self propelled
combine with two row corn head and a 10 ft. grain head, John
Deere #55 combine 12 ft. cut, Case combine with motor & bin,
John Deere #25 combine with motor * bin, N.H. baler Super
#77 PTO, J. D. 14T baler, J. D. manure spreader. New Idea man
ure spreader, Dunham 9 ft. cultipacker, J. D. K.B.A. 28 plate
disc with new discs, two bottom 12” mounted plow, mower, culti
vator, corn planter and tobacco Hoer for fi tractor, 1 four section
spring harrow, 3 - three section ispring harrows. Century sprayer,
Ontario 16 disc grain drill, weed sprayer, J.D. #8 mower, On
tario drill, 6 ft. .pulverizer, J. D. KBA disc harrow 24 disc, 2 J. D.
246 corn planters, J, D. 238 unit planter, 2 J. D. #290 corn plant
ers, J.D. #490 corn planter, J.D. #494A • 4 row corn planter,
David Bradley and other farm wagons, 2 row Stauffer transplant
er, J. D. 20 plate disc, 2 J. D. pull type 3-bottom 14” plows, 2 J. D.
#55 3 bottom plows 14”, 2 J. D. #44 2 bottom plows, .Oliver two
bottom 14” trip plow, IHC 3 bottom disc plow, J.D. 3 bottom
disc plow, 3 J. D. 4 bottom 14” plows. J. D. disc tiller 8 ft.. New
Idea pull type mower, IHC 4 wheel spreader, MC chopper, Horn
chopper, 1 ton Artway portable mixer, Sears cyl. shelter, #225
Letz grinder mixer, dump trailer with racks, 2 IHC cultivators for
IHC H, J. D. AB2OO cultivators .quick tach., hydraulic cylinder,
light two wheel trailer, tobacco baler, 2 sets 14 ft. double tobacco
ladders, 2,000 ‘tobacco lath, 8 hole hog feeder, 2 wheel rubber
tire trailer, McCurdy grain box #6OO - 175 b.u. capacity - new,
new power saw, bench grinder, *4” electric drill, new‘tarpaulins
various sizes, some small hardware, and many other articles -too
numerous to mention. If you need machinery, be sure and attend
this large sale. Most of the above listed machinery is in good
condition.
Lunch available on the grounds.
Not responsible for accidents on day of sale.
Jacob A. Gilbert, Auctioneer
Gilbert & Frey, Clerks
TERMS CASH
ABERDEEN SALES COMPANY
Sale Managers
Phone: 301/734-6050
Night: 301/734-7105 or 272-1368
OF VALUABLE
TERMS: CASH
HARRY STAUFFER
GENE FRY
Owners
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