Full text of Agricultural News Letter : Vol. 12, No. 8

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AGRICULTURAL
NEWS LETTER
F E D E R A L
Vol. 12, No. 8

R E S E R V E

B A N K

OF

D A L L A S

DALLAS, T E X A S

A ugust 15, 1957

BEEF CATTLE TIPS FOR CENTRAL TEXAS
A carefully planned beef cattle enterprise
may provide a profitable supplement to the
income of Blackland and G rand Prairie
farms in Texas, according to a study by A.
C. Magee of the State Agricultural Experi­
ment Station. A study of 40 farms in Bell,
Bosque, Coryell, and McLennan Counties
during 1952-54 indicates that the addition
of beef cattle could increase annual earn­
ings $200 to $1,200 on farms in the area.
The establishment of permanent pastures
and the introduction of close-seeded grains,
legumes, and grasses in the rotational sys­
tem have created an interest in livestock
enterprises to consume the extra forage
produced.

grazed from small grains and crop residues.
The successful operator was able to manage
both his crop and livestock enterprises with
a minimum of conflict for his time and
equipment.
■ Additional water supplies usually were
provided to care for the cattle herd. Water
facilities in the area frequently are limited,
and earthen tanks are not always a depend­
able water source. Beef cattle should not be
added to the farm program unless adequate
water is available, since severe financial loss
may occur in disposing of animals at an un­
favorable time.

■ Adequate feed was almost as important
Fairly good recent cost figures were avail­ as adequate water. The Blackland farms
able on the additional investment needed to averaged 3 acres of permanent pasture per
handle small herds on Blackland farms, as cow, and considerable dependence was
the beef cattle enterprise was relatively new placed on Sudan grass, crop residues, and
on many of the farms in this area. Costs for small grains for winter grazing. Hay was fed
remodeling barns, construction of earthen during the winter. The acreages of perma­
water tanks, additional fencing, creep-feed­ nent pastures on Grand Prairie farms were
ing pens, feed troughs, and hay racks aver­ larger than those on Blackland farms, and
these pastures were expected to furnish graz­
aged approximately $720 per farm.
ing for about three-fourths of the year, at a
In addition to the facilities, the acquisi­ stocking rate of one cow per 8 acres. Small
tion of beef cattle materially increased the grains and grazing of crop fields were other
farm investment. A common practice among important forage sources on Grand Prairie
farmers with limited capital was to buy a farms. A reserve of 1% to 3 tons of dry
few cows and keep heifer replacements to forage per cow is needed during the winter,
build up herds.
when little or no grazing is available. A few
The following management practices in­ farmers obtained very good results from
feeding silage. Steer herds were more flexi­
fluenced returns on the 40 farms studied.
ble in making adjustments to variations in
■ Sound planning was important. The land- feed supplies than were cow herds.
use program and the beef cattle project were
planned to supplement each other. Beef ■ Some advantages in favor of larger herds
cattle utilized permanent grassland and also were observed. One bull was needed on all

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AGRICULTURAL NEWS LETTER

farms, whether the herd consisted of 10 or
30 cows. Also, it took more than half as
much time to feed and care for 12 cows as
it did for 24. The investment per cow in im­
provements — such as fences, shelters, and
water facilities — usually declined as the
size of the herd increased.

by or before June 1, at a time when prices
for butchers usually are seasonally high.
Fall calving should not be undertaken with­
out a good supply of forage — either pasture
or hay — since wintering is more of a prob­
lem with cows suckling young calves.

■ Sheds and barns were functional, but not
costly. Pole-type buildings provided rela­
tively inexpensive storage for hay and shel­
ter for animals, when needed. M ainline
fences were barbed wire, but most of the
cross fences on small grain or other fields
were electric, which helped greatly in keep­
ing down investment costs.

Silage May Produce Poisonous Gas

■ Slaughter cattle of successful operators
were “well sold,” and Stocker and feeder
cattle were “well bought." Most animals
were purchased at relatively light weights
— usually from September through Decem­
ber, when prices generally are at or near the
year’s low point. A large proportion of the
calves fed for slaughter was marketed dur­
ing the late winter and spring, when there
was a strong local demand for butcher cat­
tle. Calves usually were not kept on feed
after they would grade Good or LowChoice, since these qualities were in demand
at the markets where most of the animals
were sold.
■ The easiest breeding program to manage
was that of allowing the bull to run with the
cows all year. This resulted in the calving
season extending over a period of several
months — if not the entire year. Under this
system, spring calves are sold off cows in the
fall, or they are weaned and put on feed.
Calves that were dropped late in the spring
or summer usually were held over through
the winter.

At silo-filling time, farmers should watch
out for nitrogen dioxide — a poisonous gas
that may form in fresh silage, advises the
United States Department of Agriculture.
The gas causes “silo-filler’s disease,” a re­
cently discovered hazard to farmers and
their families, as well as to livestock.
Symptoms of silo-filler’s disease are severe
coughing and burning or choking pains in
the throat and chest. The pains disappear
after a time, leaving the exposed person free
of discomfort for 5 to 12 hours. Then, severe
illness can strike, because of lung irritation
caused by the gas. A person with symptoms
of silo-filler’s disease should contact a physi­
cian promptly.
Recognizing the hazard of nitrogen di­
oxide, scientists with the Department of
Agriculture recommend the following safety
precautions in filling tower silos.
1. Run the blower for 10 minutes be­
fore going into a partly filled silo. Always
keep the blower running while you are
inside.
2. Be alert to irritating odors. Nitrogen
dioxide is heavier than air and collects near
the surface of the silage. The gas tends to
settle in the silo chute and around the base
of the silo.

3. Watch for yellowish-brown fumes,
The practice of fall calving is an alternate which are a sign of nitrogen dioxide gas. If
plan gaining in popularity. Since a calf eats the silo is dark, use a flashlight.
little grass before it is 3 months old, calves
4. Keep children and animals away from
dropped in October, November, or even the silo while it is being filled.
December will be eating grass by March 1
and will be able to consume considerable
5. Wait at least a week after the silo is
green forage during the lush season. Con­ filled before entering it. Do not let children
sequently, they are fat and ready for market or farm animals go near the silo. If neces­

AGRICULTURAL NEWS LETTER

sary, use a temporary fence to help keep
them safe.

3

6. Make wider use of commercial-scale
trials of new products.
7. Offer economic incentives to growers

Report of Commission on
and processors to bridge the gap between
Industrial Uses of Farm Products research and established industrial uses of
The need for a dynamic and imaginative
approach to farm-product utilization as a
means of solving problems of farm surpluses
is emphasized throughout the final report to
Congress made recently by the President’s
Commission on Increased Industrial Use of
Agricultural Products.
The report completes the work of the fiveman, bipartisan Commission directed by the
Eighty-Fourth Congress to make recom­
mendations for a long-range program to
widen the industrial use of farm products —
particularly surplus commodities. In carry­
ing out the assignment, the commission
members received help from almost 200 of
the country’s outstanding leaders in agri­
culture, industry, and science.
The Commission set out to find answers
to the question: “Can industrial markets
absorb enough excess farm production to
minimize — or possibly even eliminate —
costly restrictions, supports, and surplus-dis­
posal operations?” The conclusion was:
“The Commission believes the answer is an
emphatic Yes, provided the necessary steps
are taken to make possible and encourage
such a development.”
The following are some of the Commis­
sion’s recommendations.
1. Increase participation by public and
private institutions in an effective research
network.
2. Greatly expand basic research on the
use of farm products.
3. Increase the use of grants, fellow­
ships, and scholarships to increase the Na­
tion’s supply of scientists.
4. Place more emphasis on governmentindustry sharing of research costs.
5. Expand research and development
work with new crops.

crops.

“FA” Cotton Promising
Cotton is proving itself as much a “mira­
cle” fiber as any from the test tube, according
to the United States Department of Agricul­
ture. Recent experiments by the Depart­
ment’s Southern Utilization Research and
Development Division at New Orleans have
resulted in a chemical treatment that adds
valuable man-made qualities to the inher­
ently good natural characteristics of cotton.
The new treatment produces “fully acetylated” (FA) cotton. Although still in the
laboratory stage, this modified cotton is con­
sidered better for some purposes than the
partially acetylated (PA) cotton developed
by the Division several years ago.
FA cotton has shown greatly improved
heat and rot resistance, as well as the ability
to retain most of the natural abrasion resis­
tance and other good qualities of ordinary
cotton. The new fabric is superior in strip
breaking strength to both PA cotton and
untreated cotton fabrics. Although it is
heavier than untreated cotton, it dries faster.
Solvents that dissolve some synthetic fibers
do not affect FA cotton. The new fabric re­
quires a relatively short dyeing time and
can be dyed a full range of shades and
colors.
Results of recent research indicate that
FA cotton may have a wide range of uses.
Its quick-drying and easy-ironing character­
istics should make it popular for clothing.
Heating FA cotton under tension for a short
time produces a very strong fabric, with little
give, that should be useful for making
power-transmission belts, conveyor belts,
and other products requiring a fabric which
will maintain constant strength. Its electri­
cal resistance promises to make it a good
insulating material, and its good dimen-

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AGRICULTURAL NEWS LETTER

COTTON DEFOLIATION GUIDE AVAILABLE
The lateness of the cotton crop and high rainfall in Texas this year may make
cotton defoliation even more important in most sections of the State, according to
Fred Elliott, cotton specialist with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. An
exception is the High Plains area, where farmers need the maximum amount of
maturity for the crop before frost occurs.
The Cotton Defoliation Guide for Texas, recently released by the Exten­
sion Service, contains valuable information on the use of defoliants in 1957. Included
is a chart showing names of defoliants, percent of active ingredients, rates of appli­
cation per acre, and information on dilution. The bulletin tells when to apply the
defoliants and contains sections on precautionary measures and on the care of
equipment.
Copies of the defoliation guide, L-145, may be obtained from local county
agricultural agents or from the Agricultural Information Office at College Station,
Texas.
sional stability should be valuable in uses
where a fabric is exposed to varying condi­
tions of atmospheric moisture.

Tolerances for DDT Residues
Regulations of the Pure Food and Drug
Administration have established tolerances
of seven parts per million for residues of
DDT in or on the fat of meat from cattle,
hogs, and sheep, according to F. M. Fuller,
entomologist with the Texas Agricultural
Extension Service.
Residues of DDT in beef fat are likely to
exceed the tolerance if beef cattle are fed
forage on which DDT applications have
been made or if the animals are fed silage
made from DDT-treated forage. Spraying,
dipping, or dusting beef cattle with DDT is
equally likely to result in an excess of the
seven-parts-per-million tolerance.
Hogs and sheep can be dipped or sprayed
with DDT preparations without exceeding
the tolerance level if they are kept at least
30 days before slaughter.
No tolerances have been established for
residues of DDT in milk, but studies indi­
cate that application of DDT to dairy cattle
feed or to the dairy cattle themselves will
cause DDT residues in milk.

More Income for Poultrymen
Scientists of Texas A. & M. College have
discovered that a quarter’s worth of molyb­
denum in 2 million pounds of poultry feed
can mean an extra $18,000 worth of chick­
ens at market time. Molybdenum, a “trace”
mineral, is inexpensive and has proved
capable of producing birds which are 15
percent larger than those whose diets lack
the mineral.
According to the poultry scientists, the
“add-a-quarter-and-get-back-$ 18,000” story
goes this way: About 1,000 tons of feed are
required to produce 200,000 chickens for
market. Figuring a 15-percent increase in
weight in the chickens getting adequate
molybdenum in their feed, the live weight
added would be 90,000 pounds. At 20 cents
a pound live weight, this would mean an
extra $18,000 from the poultry.
Molybdenum has a high tolerance before
becoming toxic, and about 10,000 times too
much of the mineral would have to be fed
before it would injure the birds by causing
a decrease in weight.
The Agricultural News Letter is prepared in
the Research Department under the direction
of J. Z. R owe, Agricultural Economist.