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Show ' c:'-:c::rr. t'o.is for b-:-?f and in- 1-. : : u.v --lOod and now is the ' ;-j c.:..-h :n. H l.iing back; r. .-;re i.r d.ng s'.ocv: than usual: or ::.:ve y.-urs from' now may re- I .':!: in ci.-a.;ttr for the industry as Wl-U as the individual." I He called a;tcn:ion to the call for a total national cattle and j calf siaujhter in 1942 of about 28 million had as compared with the estimated slaughter of 25 million mil-lion head in the current year. If the goal for cattle and calf slaughter in 1942 is reached, production pro-duction of beef and veal will be increased materially over that of 1941 and the upward trend in cattle numbers will be halted. This will benefit both the producer and consumer." he said. "Not only will increased supplies of beef and veal be made available avail-able at a time when domestic needs are great, but a high level of ccfnsumer demand resulting from the defense program will make it possible for producers to market increased supplies of cattle and calves at prices as high as or above the levels of the current year. In addition, checking the upward up-ward trend in cattle numbers next year will prevent a marked expansion in the slaughter supplies sup-plies after 1942 when consumer demand may no be so strong as during the coming year." Two dangers should warn stockmen stock-men to heed this warning, Mr. Nebeker said. First, the danger of a continued upward trend in beef cattle numbers which if continued contin-ued will result in a collapse of prices. Second, the danger of over stocking rangeland, the possibility of drouth and the certainty of throwing the feed and cattle numbers num-bers ratio out of balance if the upward trend is continued. He urged that stockmen face facts and not blindly gamble no future prices based on present conditions. Nebeker Warns Stockmen on Cattle Production Some livestock men are believ-' believ-' ing what they want to believe and are not facing facts declared Sidney J. Nebeker of Laketown, chairman of the Utah USDA de-fnse de-fnse board, in reply to persistant advice from various groups to increase in-crease cattle numbers. Production goals in the "Food for Freedom" program call for an increase in slaughter of cattle and calves, not an increase in cattle numbers. The intent of uiese production goals, explained Mr. Nebeker, was to keep the number of beef cattle cat-tle down. "We don't want to repeat re-peat what happened in 1934 and 1935," he said. Cattle numbers m the United States have increased about 7 to 1 9 million head since 1938 and at the beginning of 1942 they will be nearly as large as the record high reached in 1934. If cattle numbers are not to be increased further during 1942, slaughter and death losses next year must be as large as the 1942 calf crop. Selling steers as yearlings will not solve the problem, he declared declar-ed and explained that to keep the livestock Industry on an "even keel" stockmen should cut Into their breeding stock. Old cows and even some heifers should be sold In many instances. This will keep livestock numbers down to a safe margin, while continued increases would place the livestock industry in a dangerous position for either a drouth or a decrease in defense de-fense activity. "The stockman who really wants to take advantage of the situation situa-tion will fall in line with pro- |
