—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Feb. l, 1975 10 Farm Commentary Les Burdette told some 200 cattle feeders how to assure themselves of a profit even though input costs keep going up and live weight prices keep going down. Burdette’s four-step secret to a sure profit are very simple; 1 Steal a truck. 2 Steal some cattle 3. Steal some feed 4. Don’t get caught The formula brought a laugh from One outcome of the World Food Conference in Rome last year may be that underdeveloped countries may stop trying to copy the large scale American farming operation, ac cording to Washington columnist Richard L Strout In a recent column. Strout said the American ideal of enormous fields and big farm machines is simply not applicable to many underdeveloped nations. They can’t finance combines, tractors or crop sprayers The one thing they are rich in is manpower A note from David Bennett marketing manager for Miller Publishing Co, m Minneapolis, tells us that the nation is getting ready to celebrate the third annual Ag Day on March 24, the first Monday closest to the first day of spring Ag Day has been recognized in a resolution by the U.S Senate, and is expected to be further recognized by a House resolution in the near future The idea behind Ag Day is to A couple of things in that Cattle on Feed report USDA issued last week First of all, it showed that cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market m the 23 major States totaled 9,619,000 on jan 1 That’s down 26 pet. from a year earlier, 31 pet below the Jan 1 1973 total and the lowest for the date since 1965 Just in case the message isn’t clear, the USDA Crop Reporting Board’s annua! survey of feedlots again showed the number of feedlots again declined - from 146,220 in 1973 to 137.732 last year But, this time, it wasn’t totally at the expense of the smaller lots Those in the under 1,000 capacity - did drop off, from 144,180 m 1973 to 135,810 last year But the larger lots, those with about Jan 1 stocks of all wheat estimated ar 29 9 million metric tons, were 19 pet above a year earlier, USDA reported last week But, stocks of the tour feed grains (corn oats, barley and sorghum) totaled 114 million tons down 22 pet from Jan 1, 1974 holdings Corn, at 3 6 b'llion bu . was down 19 Japan, the top U S farm export The reason Higher prices Though market for the past 4 years, will hold the volume of U S exports to Japan is firmly to that No 1 position in fiscal expected to be down as much as 10 1975, according to an article in the pet, increased prices are expected to current (Jan 27) issue of USDA’s keep those exports at about the $3 4 Foreign. Agriculture billioMoteHt by Dick Wanner Sure Fire Beef Profits Think Small and Feed the World Ag Day, 1975 Fed Cattle Marketings Off Grain Slocks Down japan Still Top U.S. Market the audience, proving that cattle feeders can smile no matter how hard times get. He was speaking at a cattle feeders day in the Lancaster Farm and Home Center on Tuesday. Good as Burdette’s formula may be, we think we’ve spotted a flaw. If the market drops much farther, there’s no assurance the feeder would have enough return to pay for the gas it’ll take to haul the cattle to market. And the latest agricultural thought heard at Rome was that farms as small as two acres can be made ef ficient producers of food The need is critical, Strout pointed out In a world whose four billion people will double in 35 years, the U S ob- viously has an obligation to try to help, and to feed the hungry where it can - and no doubt it should do more than it is now doing But the US cannot do the job alone. Strout asserts recognize the accomplishments of American Agriculture, and to com memorate the families who are the most efficient food producers the world has ever seen According to Bennett, the movement to observe Ag Day is gathering steam in many areas of the country Wouldn’t it be nice if the Garden Spot of the world could play a part in this year's observance 7 1,000 capacities, dropped off too From 2,040 m.1973-to 1,922 last year Some other points in this report - The Number of cattle marketed through feedlots, at 23,224,000 head, was down 8 pet from 1973 and 13 pet below the 1972 total - Feedlots with over 1,000 head capacities accounted for 65 pet of fed cattle marketings, the same as in 1973, and above the 61 7 pet figure for 1972 - But, while the number of larger lots those with a capacity of 32,000 head or more increased (from 59 in 1972 and 69 in 1973 to 73 in 1974), the number of cattle ma'rketed from those larger lots decreased from 4,833,000 head in 1973 to 4 458,000 in 1974 pet from a year earliei, sorghum at 381 million bu , was down 41 pet Oat stocks, at 511 million bu , were down 20 pet Barley, at 229 million bu, was down 29 pet Soybean stocks at 271 million tons, were down 14 pet from a year earliei MATCHED SET Lesion for February 2,1975 Background Scripture: Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 10:31 through 11:1; Colossians 3:12-17; Janies 2:1-4; 1 Peter 4:7-11. Devotional Reading: Colossians 3:12-17. Contemporary Christians tend to regard different facets of congregational life as optional activities which are strictly a matter of personal preference. Some people come on Sundays to worship, but that is the extent of their in volvement. Others are Sunday school people,” who come for Christian education but littlevelse. Others seem to “major” in fellowship ac tivities with little interest in anything else. Still others are service oriented, often with a faint aura of contempt for those who do not feel similarly motivated. And the Lord added to their number We get a much different picture of the early church in the Book of Acts. Here we see the whole congregation devoting “themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship to the breaking of bread and of prayers” (2:42). The early church was clearly not divided into those -who worshipped, those who studied, and those who pursued Christian fellowship. The whole congregation was involved in each of these vital functions. Nor were the early Christians limited to ac tivities of personal input; “...many signs and wonders were done, through the apostles...and all who believed were together and had all things in common” (2:43, 44). There was output too' Their life as a congregation both strengthened them and equipped them to be of service to others as well. They worshipped, studied and fellowshipped so that they could also perform “signs and wonders” of service for others. The results are obvious: “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food wth glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (2:46, 47) Unfailing lov,e Obviously, worship cannot be divided off from nurture, fellowship, and service If we are going to enrich our lives with worship, we will also need to grow in Christian love which tequires fellowship and service In w i itmg to the early church. I Peter admonished Christians to major in all facets of Christian life ‘ keep sane and sober for your prayers” i 4 7i, “practice hospitality” (4 9), Worship, nurture, act as “good stewards” of fellowship and service- for what God has given us the Christian they are a (4:10). In other words, matched-set. whether we are worshipping, (Based on outlines studying, fellowshipping or copyrighted by the Division serving our fellowmen, it is of Christian Education, all one response of love for National Council of the God. Churches of Christ in the God is actually behind all U.S.A. Released by Com- ■ ’now is fr i To Run Hogs With Steers One of the suggestions at the recent Cattle Feeder’s Day was for cattle feeders to run hogs under the steers. This was for the purpose of increasing returns from the cattle feeding operation by having the hogs more completely utilize the feed nutrients in the cattle rations. This is a very common practice in many cattle operations and is the opinion of Les Burdette that more feeders could increase their profits by running more hogs with the cattle. In most cases the hogs may need supplemental feed, but will be able to get part of their nutritional needs from the steer droppings. To Evaluate Grain Storage It is the feeling of many grain experts that now would be the time to be making a decision to market the feed grains that have been in. farm storage since last summer or fall. Farmers in the livestock or dairy business may need their grains to continue their operation; however, those that are holding for market might give consideration to moving some of their grams. We have heard some forecasts indicating that the peak prices of gram for the 1974 crop may be behind us Just a suggestion that warrants some con sideration to those debating whether to hold or sell. To Sell Based On Finish Many cattle feeders are reluctant to sell when their cattle are ready because of the low price. They continue to feed the cattle and get them too fat for efficient gains and for the most desirable grade of “Choice” We realize it is difficult to sell cattle when the market price is unsatisfactory; however, to continue to feed them high-priced grain and get slower daily gams is also an expensive practice Some “. .whoever speaks, as one who utters oracles of God; whoever renders service, as one who renders it by the strength which God sup plies ..” (4:111. The point is that “in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ”. The power of the early church was that it led a well rounded congregational life in which worship, fellowship, nurture and service were all regarded as the believer’s response to the grace of God as revealed in Christ Jesus himself was an example He had been a man who studied the scriptures. He had also demonstrated his own need for fellowship and his whoit life was a life of sacnfical service THE TIME... | Max Smith County Agr. Agent Telephone 304-6851 successful feeders have decided to market their cattle when they reach the desired grade, and then put the grain into lighter, more efficient cattle. To Recognize Fertilizer Value of Manure We repeat the thought that more attention should be given to trying to hold the fertilizer value in livestock and poultry manure through proper storage; also, the including of fertilizer con tribution of manure when calculating the needs of a certain crop. Nitrogen is very expensive but is one of the major fertilizer elements in most kinds of manure, especially poultry manure. On some fields when a clover or alfalfa sod is plowed down along with a heavy ap plication of manure (I*2 to 15 tons per acre), very little nitrogen may be needed from other sources. Poultry manure should not b.e used in these amounts (not over 4 tons per acre) because of the danger of burning seeds or plants. Producers should make an effort to learn the fertilizer content of their type of livestock waste. Farm Calendar Saturday, February 1 Ephrata Young Farmer’s Banquet at Mt. Airy Fire Hall beginning at 6:45 p.m. Pa. Yorkshire Swine Association Show and Sale at the Farm Show Arena. Monday, February 3 Manheim Young Farmer’s soil conservation meeting at 7:30 p.m. Manheim High School. Tuesday, February 4 Dairy conference at the Guernsey Barn Pavilion beginning with coffee and donuts at 8:30 a.m and concluding at 2:30 p.m. Eugene Myeyer, Managing Editor of “Hoard’s Dairymen” will be the keynote speaker. Ephrata Area Adult Far mer’s Dairy Cattle Management meeting at 7:45 p.m. at the Ephrata High School. Wednesday, February 5 Dairymen Milking School at the Farm and Home Center beginning at 9 30 a.m -Friday, February 7 Computer Workshop for Cattle Feeders at the Farm and Home Center Garden Spot Young Far mer’s annual banquet at the Blue Ball Fire Hall at 6:45 p.m. Editor’s Quote Book 7 hurt i\ a git at man it ho rnakt \ imv wan Ini wall But the iially gnat man n the man it ho maki v tit rv man ft < I great Chun n Pint nb
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers