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Show Feed Conservation Pointed Out As Sensible Program "The feed conservation program pro-gram is a sensible one, and if followed by Utah farmers it will save the Beehive state's proportionate propor-tionate share of grain and at the same time make money for the farmers who apply it," Hyrum Steffcn, assistant Utah State Extension Ex-tension county agent leader, declared de-clared today. "The program docs not recom-t recom-t mend any unnecessary liquida-i lion of livestock or poultry; instead, in-stead, it suggests what every efficient ef-ficient farmer ought to do continuously, con-tinuously, and that is to cull out th unprofitable stock, avoid feed waste caused by poor storage stor-age or careless feeding, and to control rodents and insects, which destroy grain." Mr. Steffen called special attention at-tention to the importance of rat control. It is estimated that there are more than 100,000.000 rats in the United Stales alone, he said. Each rat will cat about 50 pounds of grain in one year, and in addition destroy two or three times that much. This loss of grain due to rats alone amounts to considerably more than the extra 100,000,000 bushels the government is trying to save. "Here in Utah we are harboring harbor-ing more rats on our premises than we realize," Mr. Steffcn warned. "Rats work at night and depend upon concealment for protection. Consequently, you may never see a rat, yet actually have a large number on your place. "Like all other animals, rats require food and shelter," the extension ex-tension official points out. "Hunger "Hun-ger makes them easier to trap and poison. For this reason foodstuffs food-stuffs and grains should be stored stor-ed in ratproof buildings, rooms or containers. Waste and garbage should be kept tightly covered, i Leaky grain bins and grain stacked carelessly in old buildings build-ings are an open invitation to rats, mice and sparrows to move in and make a home. "Rats will not remain where there is no food or where a safe and comfortable shelter is not available. Some of the places they like to slay are dead spaces within double walls, underneath floors, among stored produce and supplies, in lumber and post piles, and in trash and refuse accumulations. ac-cumulations. It would be difficult diffi-cult to remove all rat shelters, but a lot can,, and should, be done along this line. "Removal of food and shelter is the best and most permanent method of rat control," Mr. Ste-fen Ste-fen emphasized. "If these measures mea-sures are coupled with poisoning and trapping, our jat population will get less and less, instead of larger and larger." |