—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
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