Full text of Agricultural News Letter : Vol. 7, No. 7

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V lC U

F E D E R A L
Vol. 7, No. 7

NEWS LETTER

R E S E R V E

B A N K

OF

D ALLAS, T E X A S

D A L L A S
July 15, 1952

Feeder Cattle Demand Weakens
Reports from the Corn Belt states indicate
that the demand for feeder cattle this fall may
be somewhat weaker than in most recent
years. Narrower feeding margins and reduced
reserves of feed grain supplies have cut sharp­
ly into profits from cattle feeding operations
during the past two seasons.
The uncertainty of the feed situation is an
important factor in the prospect for a lower
demand for feeder cattle. Reserve stocks of
feed grains are now at relatively low levels,
and unless a bumper corn crop is produced
this year, the supply of feed grains may be
rather tight this fall and winter. Shorter feed
supplies probably will be a factor in reducing
cattle feeding operations next year.

On the supply side, cattle numbers in the
Nation are now at a record high level, and the
increased production from these higher num­
bers probably will be felt on the markets this
year. Substantial liquidation by southwestern
farmers and ranchers during the past year,
due to the severe drought conditions, may
sharply reduce the number of cattle marketed
in the Southwest this fall. In fact, if good,
soaking rains occur throughout the Southwest
between now and November 1, considerable
restocking may be undertaken by southwest­
ern cattlemen. However, the increased num­
bers in other parts of the country are likely
to provide as many or more cattle for the Na­
tion than were marketed during the fall
months of 1951.

This chart shows average prices tor feeder and stocker cattle at Kansas City
for selected years. The price increase during the last 3 months of 1950 was due
partly to the general inflationary trend of all prices which prevailed at that time.

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A G R IC U L T U R A L N E W S L E T T E R

In addition, some thin cattle may be im­
ported from M exico if the embargo is lifted
on September 1, as currently planned. These
prospective imports from M exico will be off­
set at least partially by the loss of about 500,000 head normally imported from Canada
(imports from that country have been banned
since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease
earlier this year).
All of these facts would seem to indicate
that price trends of feeder cattle during the fall
marketing season may be somewhat on the
weak side. A review of prices paid for feeder
cattle during the past 5 years shows that in
1947, 1948, and 1951, prices were generally
lowest during October, November, and D e­
cember. In 1949 and 1950, the lowest point
was reached in September, and prices during
the last 3 months of the year rose moderately.
In summarizing the situation, a marketing
specialist from Purdue University states that
the demand for feeder cattle this fall is ex­
pected to be weaker, resulting in lower feeder
cattle prices. He also states that this appears
to be a year in which feeder cattle prices will
weaken as the marketing season progresses.

The 1952 spring pig crop, which will be
marketed this fall and winter, is 9 percent
lower than a year ago, according to an esti­
mate of the United States Department of
Agriculture. Forecasts of the fall pig crop in­
dicate a decline of 9 percent from the num­
ber farrowed in the fall of 1951.

Clean the Stock Tank
Excessive accumulation of slime or scum
in the stock tank can be removed by adding
the proper amount of copper sulphate, accord­
ing to M. K. Thornton of the Texas Agricul­
tural Extension Service.

The copper sulphate, sometimes called
bluestone, can be purchased from drug stores,
and the proper amount should be dissolved
in a small wooden or enamelware container
before adding it to the stock tank or pond.
Mr. Thornton points out that adding too
much of this material to the water can make
it injurious to humans, livestock, and fish.
Therefore, considerable care should be exer­
cised in treating the water.
Mr. Thornton recommends 8 pounds of
copper sulphate to each 1,000,000 gallons of
water, 1 ounce to 8,000 gallons, and 1 te a ­
spoonful to 1,500 gallons of water.
More detailed information can be obtained
from local county agricultural agents or b y
writing the Texas Agricultural Extension S erv ­
ice and asking for Bulletin L-55.

More About Castor Beans
The rapid increase in the use of castor oil
in industry has stimulated more than a casual
interest in the production of castor beans in
the Southwest. In view of this and the relative
profitableness of the crop in certain areas, the
following observations on experimental plan t­
ings of the crop are of interest:
♦ Yields in 1951— a relatively unfavorable
year— averaged about 330 pounds per acre at
Denton, Texas, a little over 200 pounds at
Stephenville, and about 1,000 pounds at C hillicothe.

♦ In tests under irrigation at Iowa Park,
Plainview, and Hereford, Texas, yields ranged
from 1,000 to nearly 2,000 pounds per acre.
♦ At Chillicothe, the crop showed no response
to applications of potash or phosphate fe r ti­
lizer, but the application of 60 pounds of n itro ­
gen increased yields nearly 100 percent.

A G R IC U L T U R A L N E W S L E T T E R

♦ Castor beans have been grown at the Iowa
Park experiment station during 6 of the past
12 years, and average production, under irri­
gation, was 1,034 pounds per acre.
♦ At the Chillicothe station, under dry-land
conditions, average production during 7 of the
past 10 years was 894 pounds per acre.
From this information, specialists conduct­
ing the tests state that, under normal condi­
tions, yields of from 800 to 900 pounds per
acre can be obtained on soil that would ordi­
narily produce about 200 pounds of lint cot­
ton per acre.
On sandy soils of low fertility, yields of
about 500 pounds can be expected, while un­
der irrigation or on land of high fertility, yields
of from 1,200 to 1,800 pounds per acre are
not unusual.
Mechanical harvesting of the crop in 1951
was not very successful in the Vernon-Chillicothe area of Texas. The stripping machines
available removed the beans from the plants,
but field losses due to shattering were high.
Improved harvesters are being constructed
and should be available for use this year.
The average charge for harvesting on a cus­
tom basis in 1951 was $6 per acre. The price
of castor beans is supported by the United
States Department of Agriculture at about 10
cents per pound.
One of the unusual characteristics of castor
beans is that virtually all insects apparently
have a dislike for the plant and cause only
minor damage. An exception to this is the
striped army worm, which sometimes destroys
the plants in the seedling stage.

Hay for $ 7 Per Ton
A Titus County, Texas, farmer produced
hay on an old Bermuda grass pasture at a cost
of less than $7 per ton in 1951.

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In the fall of 1950
this Bermuda grass
p a stu re was r e n o ­
vated, manured, and
fertilized with 500
pounds of 0-14-7 com­
mercial fertilizer per
acre. T h e follow in g
July, ammonium ni­
trate was applied at the rate of 150 pounds
per acre. The total fertilizer cost was $6.40
per acre, and within a month after the appli­
cation of ammonium nitrate, 3,280 pounds of
hay were harvested per acre.
A part of the pasture received no nitrogen,
and this area yielded only 1,440 pounds of hay
per acre. Moreover, the protein content of the
hay harvested on the fertilized area was con­
siderably higher.
A small part of the pasture received ammo­
nium nitrate at the rate of 300 pounds per
acre, and the yield of hay on that area was
4,840 pounds per acre.

All insecticides are poisonous. Farmers are
warned to keep these materials labeled prop­
erly and to follow manufacturers’ directions
carefully. Effective use of insecticides re­
quires that the proper chemical be applied at
the right time and at the recommended
strength.

Power-Operated Stalk Cutters
More Effective
A wide variety of implements has been used
to knock down and break up corn and cotton
stalks following harvest, and for many years
these stalks were burned in order to facilitate
preparation of the seed bed the following year.
In more recent years it has been shown that
this crop residue is a valuable material to re­
turn to the soil, since it adds organic matter
and helps to maintain the fertility of the land.

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A G R IC U L T U R A L N E W S L E T T E R

Tests by the Texas Agricultural Experiment
Station indicate that the rolling-type stalk cut­
ters do a fairly good job of breaking up dry
and brittle stalks but frequently have little
effect upon green cotton plants. In these tests
only a small percentage of the plants was cut
more than once, and seed bed preparation fol­
lowing their use was difficult.
Several power-operated stalk cutters are
now on the market, and most of these, when
properly operated, do an excellent job of
shredding both dead and green stalks into fine
pieces.
Some of the factors to be considered in
evaluating a particular brand of stalk cutter
are: the ease of operation (including leveling
of the machine and lifting of the knives or
beaters while turning), shields to prevent ac­
cidents from the rotating blades, and mainte­
nance costs for keeping the machine in good
operating condition.

Bees Increase Seed Yields
Yields of clover seed in fields adequately
stocked with bees averaged 26 times greater
than yields in areas from which bees were ex­
cluded. These results were obtained in tests
at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Sta­
tion’s Bluebonnet farm in McLennan County,
Texas.
The value of bees in pollinating clovers and
other legumes to increase seed production has
been recognized by most farmers, but these
tests give additional proof of the importance
of bees in the production of legume seeds.
Yields of seed in the areas that were
screened off to exclude the bees ranged from
11 pounds of Madrid sweet clover per acre in
1950 to 130 pounds in 1951. This indicates
that the sweet clover is self-fertile, to a limited
extent. Yields in the open areas to which bees
had free access ranged from 202 pounds per
acre for Madrid sweet clover to 373 pounds
for Evergreen sweet clover.

Another interesting fact revealed by these
tests is that bees ranged up to 3 miles from
the hives in search of honey. Even when there
were several hives located in adjoining fields
with ample bee pasture nearby, the bees read­
ily visited other fields located within their fly­
ing range. They appeared to distribute them ­
selves rather evenly throughout all of the
fields in the immediate vicinity, regardless of
the number of colonies in any particular field.

An essential step in a farm safety program
is the placing of first-aid kits in convenient
locations around the farm and home.

Publications
Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station,
Baton R ouge:
Hay Is What Y ou M ake It, Agricultural
Extension Publication 1115, by M ansel
M. Mayeux.
Land Clearing Tools and Methods, A g r i­
cultural Extension Publication 1116, b y
Mansel Mayeux and A. S. McKean.
New M exico Agricultural Experiment Station,
State College:
Combinations of Corn Silage and Coarse
Alfalfa Hay for Fattening Lambs, B u l­
letin 369, by P. E. Neale and M arvin
Koger.
Seed Treatment tor Control of Dampingoff in Peanuts, Bulletin 370, by R . F.
Crawford.
The Effect of Fertilizers on Yield and
Botanical Composition of an Irrigated
Pasture Mixture, Press Bulletin 1068, b y
A. D. Dotzenko and M. L. Wilson.

Agricultural N ews Letter

T he
is prepared in
the Research Department under the direction
of Carl H . M oore , Agricultural Economist.