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AGRICULTURAL NEWS OF THE WEEK
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF DALLAS

Number 699

Wednesday, May 22, 1963

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JUNE
I S DAIRY MONTH
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In calling attention to the 27th annual "June Is Dairy Month" ob*
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servance, Secretary of Agriculture Freeman stated that U. S. milk pro*
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duction this year may reach a level of about 126 billion lbs. An out*
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put of this magnitude would be enough to supply every man, woman, and
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child in the Nation with about a quart of milk a day. Every state in
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the
Union produces milk, and dairying accounts for about 14% of the
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total U. s. farm income.
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TEXAS
PEACH
CROP
Texas peach production in 1963 is expected to total 800,000 bu., according to the Statistical Reporting Service. An output of this size woulcr-be more
than 3~ times the previous year's small outturn and 18% above the 5-year (1957-61)
average. The condition of the State's peach crop as of May 1, at 83% of normal, was
the second highest for the month in the past 14 years.
PROGRAM
CHOLERA
ERADICATION
H 0 G
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Twenty-seven
states and Puerto Rico have entered into the four-phase stateFederal hog cholera eradication program, announces the U. S. Department of Agriculture.
This four-phase cooperative program establishes uniform procedures for eradicting this
hog disease. The phases are: I - preparation or program organization; II - reduction
of hog cholera incidence; III - elimination of outbreaks; and IV - protection against
reinfection.
Hog cholera, a virus disease which affects swine only, costs the Nation's
hog producers $50 million a year, points out the USDA. For many years, livestock
producers and state agricultural and livestock health authorities have sought to
eradicate the disease.
DEDICATED
NEW
RESEARCH
BUILDINGS
Large-scale tests of tillage machinery can be made indoors, unhampered by
unfavorable weather conditions, in a new building dedicated on May 17 at the USDA's
National Tillage Machinery Laboratory at Auburn, Alabama. The new building for tillage research, which contains 14,000 square feet of floor space, provides two 20- by
200-ft. soil bins that permit year-round operations.
Also dedicated on May 17 was a new laboratory-ad.ministration building which
houses three laboratories, service facilities, and offices. Scientists-rn-:EW'O""'of the
laboratories will study physical and mechanical properties of soils and how the physical condition of soil affects plant growth. In the third laboratory, model tillage
tools will be tested. Service facilities include a conference-reading room, drafting
room, and photographic darkroom.

L I VE S T 0 CK
Marketings of cattle and calves at Fort Worth during the week ended Thursday, May 16, were moderately larger than in the preceding week but weTe" substantially
below-:rhe-Corresponding period in 1962) according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. The cattle supply of an estimated 3,900 compares with 3,600 a week ago and
6,700 a year earlier. Trading was generally slow, and closing quotations were steady
to 50¢ per cwt. lower than on the preceding Thursday. Prices per cwt. were: Good
855- to 1,090-lb. slaughter steers, $20.50 to $22.25; Utility and Commercial cows,
$13 to $16; and Good 500- to 700-lb. feeder steers, $21 to $24.50.
The calf run is placed at 700, or 50 more than in the preceding week but
450 fewer than--a-year-ago. Prices were steady to 50¢ per cwt. lower than a week
earlier. Good grades of killing calves brought mainly $23 to $24 per cwt., and
feeder steer calves cleared at $23 to $26.50.
Hog receipts totaled about 1,400, reflecting decreases of 3% from a week
ago and 39%"""from the comparable period last year. Numerous lots of U. S. No. 1
through No. 3 Grades of 195- to 250-lb. barrows and gilts sold up to $15 per cwt.
for the first time since mid-March.
A total of 17,800 sheep and lambs was received at Fort Worth during the
week ended May 16, compared with 1"5;800 a week ago and 52,800 a year earlier. Demand was fairly broad for most classes. Good and Choice offerings sold at prices
which were steady to 50¢ per cwt. higher than in the preceding week, with 65- to
100-lb. slaughter spring lambs quoted at $20 to $22 per cwt.
POULTRY
Texas commercial broiler markets during the week ended Friday, May 17,
opened steady in both south and east Texas, according to a report from the-B'tate
Department of Agricult;;re:- At t~losec;f trading on Friday, markets in both
areas closed with a firm undertone. Closing prices per lb. were 15.5¢ to 16¢,
mostly 15.5¢, in south Texas and ranged from 14.25¢ to 15.2¢, mostly 15¢ to 15.2¢,
in east Texas. During the comparable period in 1962, the closing quotation in
south Texas was 14¢, and prices in east Texas ranged from 13.4¢ to 14.1¢.
On Monday, May 20, commercial broiler markets in Texas were steady, and
movement of available supplies was brisk. Quotations in south Texas were 16¢ per
lb., and those in east Texas ranged from 14.7¢ to 15.5¢.

BROILER CHICK:
PLACEMENTS

Percent change fromPrevious
Comparable
week
week, 1962

Area

Week ended
May 11, 1963

Texas •..•..
Louisiana ••

3,338,000
639,000

2
3

13

22 states •.

46,227,000

-1

6

9