Al6—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, February 16,1980
Big slaughter, low prices paint near-term hog picture
WASHINGTON, D.C. -
For pork producers the next
few months promise more of
the same-continuing large
slaughter and low prices.
But some improvement may
begin after midyear.
Last December 1,
producers reported 67
million hogs and pigs on U.S.
farms, 11 percent more than
a year earlier, and the
biggest December inventory
since 1970.
All of the increase came
from 14 percent more
market hogs. The number of
hogs kept for breeding held
about steady.
There were 19 percent
more heavy market hogs
that will reach market
weight during first quarter
1980. Those that will reach
market weight in the second
quarter were up 7 percent.
This means that hog
slaughter during January-
June may be near record
levels.
ABS has
DE FOREST, Wi. - To
help cattlemen and
dairymen better understand
the use of prostaglandin as
an aid to artificially in
seminate beef cattle and
dairy heifers, American
Breeders Service has just
published two new technical
booklets on ’“Syn
chromzation of Beef Cattle
With Prostaglandin” and
“Planned Breeding of Dairy
Heifers With Prostaglan
din.”
“For years ABS has been
helping cattlemen and
Md. firm told to
stop violations
CRESAPTOWN, Md -
Cumberland Stock Yards,
Inc., operator of a livestock
market at Cresaptown, Md ,
has been ordered to stop
violating trust account and
payment requirements of
the Packers and Stockyards
Act.
The firm, which draws
livestock from western
Maryland, consented to the
order.
It neither admitted nor
denied the charges in an
administrative complaint
filed by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture, and waived
oral hearing.
mmmmmm—mmmmmmmmmma
Producers indicated
December-May farrowuigs
will be about 7.2 million
head, roughly the same as a
year ago. Actual farrowing
may differ, of course, due to
changing feed costs and hog
prices. But if intentions are
realized, hog slaughter after
midyear would be near the
high levels of second-half
1979.
With the current large
output, consumers will be
eating the most pork since
1971, 36 to 36 pounds per
person in the first half of 1980
alone.
Moreover, large supphes
of competing meats
probably will boost total red
meat and poultry con
sumption to record levels,
too.
This means consumers
will be able to switch to other
meats if the pnce of one
increases relative to the
price of others. This is likely
to prevent any substantial
rise in meat prices anytime
booklets on prostaglandin
dairymen breed more
productive and profitable
cow herds,” says Russ
Berna, director of marketing
at ABS. “Now with our
knowledge of prostaglandin
even more producers are
turning to ABS for herd
improvement,” adds Bema.
With prostaglandin, the
heat cycles of beef cattle and
dairy heifers can be con
trolled to occur within a
precise time interval.
This allows cattlemen to
concentrate their A.I.
Cumberland mock yards,
Inc, was ordered to cease
and desist from-
Failing to properly
maintain its custodial ac
count for proceeds due
consignors of livestock; and
Issuing insufficient funds
checks and failing to pay
when due the proceeds due
consignors.
The firm was also
suspended for seven days.
The P&S Act is a fair trade
practices law. It promotes
and maintains fair and open
competition in the buying
and selling of livestock,
meat and poultry.
soon,
Furthermore, incomes
aren’t expected to keep pace
with inflation. Unem
ployment also is expected to
rise, reducing the buying
power of many Americans.
High interest rates and
heating costs will leave less
spending money in the
paycheck. So consumers
may not be willing to spend
as much of their income on
pork and other meats as in
the past.
The large supply of meats
and prospects of a sluggish
economy suggest hog pnces
may range in the upper s3o’s
during the first quarter of
this year, and the mid-s3o’s
during the second.
If the economy recovers as
anticipated, farmers could
see a July-December
average in the low s4o’s. And
it could get better later in the
year if spring farrowmgs
were to taper off.
Returns near $4O per
hundredweight would cover
program and dairymen to
plan-breed their heifers at a
pre-detenmned date and
time. Heat synchronization
and planned breeding also
increases the opportunity to
make faster genetic
progress by using the best
A.I. proven sires available.
Both ABS booklets
describe procedures for
using prostaglandin to plan
breed dairy heifers and
synchronize the heat cycles
of beef cattle. In addition,
important management and
A I. practices necessary for
a successful breeding
program are highlighted.
Cattlemen and Dairymen
can receive a free copy of
either “Synchronization of
Beef Cattle With
Prostaglandin” or “Planned
Breeding of Dairy Heifers
With Prostaglandin” from
their local ABS represen
tative. Or contact American
Breeders Service, DeForest,
Wisconsin 53532,
SOUIE STEEL
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cash expenses for most
farrow-to-fimsh producers
but would not cover total
costs. The return to labor
and management would be
small.
There is little farmers can
do now to affect prices m
1980 because it’s too late to
significantly change the
number of hogs that will go
to market.
Marketings in the first half
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will come from current
inventories. Second-half
marketings will come either
from sows currently
farrowing or from those
already bred for farrowing
this spring.
But farmers can vary the
weight at which they market
hogs to get the best return.
First, keep weights down
when market prices are
declining.
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The lowest hog prices are
expected m the spring, so by
keeping weights down
during this period, farmers
can cut feeding costs and
reduce the amount of pork
reaching the retail market.
Prices are expected to
strengthen in late spring or
early summer, so feeding
hogs to heavier weights at
that time could be profitable.
MP
Division of
North Amenc an
Plant Breeders
Authorized Dealer
R.D.2, Box 291
Ronks, PA 17572