The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
AGRICULTURAL NEWS OF THE WEEK FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF DALLAS Number 842 Wednesday, February 16, 1966 LIVESTOCK INVENTORY Following seven consecutive years of increase, the number of cattle and calves on the Nation's farms as of January 1, 1966, decreased 1% from a year earlier to a total of 106.6 million head, according to the Statistical Reporting Service. A 6% decline in the number of milk animals more than offset a 1% gain in the beef cattle inventory. The number of cows and heifers 2 years old and older kept for milk decreased 6% to 16.6 million head, the smallest total since 1900. The inventory of hogs and pigs on U.S. farms at the beginning of the current year is placed at 51.2 million head, reflecting a 4% decrease from a year ago and the smallest January 1 inventory since 1955· The number of all sheep and lambs totaled 26.5 million head, the lowest inventory of record. The inventory of sheep and lambs on feed was up 1%, while the number of stock sheep showed a 1% decline. The number of chickens (excluding broilers) on farms at the beginning of this year declined 1% to 371.4 million head, while the inventory of turkeys advanced 9% to nearly 7.0 million head. The total value of all livestock and poultry on the Nation's farms and ranches as of January 1, 1966, amounted to $17.5 billion, up 22% from a year earlier. The table below shows the number of livestock on farms and ranches in the states of the Eleventh Federal Reserve District on January 1, 1966, and the yearearlier comparisons. LIVESTOCK ON FARMS AND RANCHES, JANUARY 1 Five Southwestern States (In thousands) Cattle Area Hogs Sheep 1966 1965 1966 Arizona •••••••••• Louisiana •••••••• New Mexico •••.••• Oklahoma ••••••••• Texas •••••••••••• 1,116 1,777 1,128 4,358 10' 546 1,140 1,890 1,106 4,190 10,239 32 154 43 312 ---12.S 30 167 45 271 702 Five states •••• 18,925 18,565 1,293 1,215 SOURCE: 1965 1966 1965 669 62 972 183 5,154 593 67 969 182 4,790 7,040 6,601 U.S. Department of Agriculture. The January 1, 1966, inventory of goats and kids on Texas farms and ranches was 4.4 million head, which is 9% more than a year ago-:---T'he total inventory value of goats in the State is placed at $30.l million, compared with $28.4 million at the beginning of 1965. The average value per head was $6.80, or 20¢ per head less than a year earlier. REGISTRATION 0 F TWO I NS E CT I C I DE S CANCE L E D The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently reported that it is canceling the registration of the insecticides aldrin and dieldrin for use on certain vegetable, grain, and forage crops. The action is based on recent scientific data which show that the use of these insecticides on some of the crops - especially forage crops and sugar beets - can result in illegal residues on the crops and, in some instances, in milk from cows that have been fed the crops. The USDA says that aldrin and dieldrin have been used widely in insect control and have been especially effective in the destruction of soil insects. Cancellation will be in effect 30 days after registrants of aldrin and dieldrin products receive USDA notification; notices of cancellation were mailed on February 2. The restriction of aldrin and dieldrin registration now is particularly timely, since growers customarily apply the two insecticides to soil in the spring. Area BROILER CHICK PLACEMENTS Texas.~ Week ended February 5, 1966 Percent change from Comparable Previous week, 1965 week ••.• Louisiana •• 2,827,000 725,000 2 0 18 23 states •. 48,025,000 1 10 7
@FedFRASER