Show breeding and feeding better cattle EDITORS NOTE the follow ing is is an address given by mr ellison at the annual meeting of the utah state cattle and horse growers association held in salt lake city recently mr ellison is generally can considered one of the very best minorities authorities on livestock feeding in the west he has shipped each year part of his finished cattle to chicago where he has to compete the best feeders of the corn belt and on several occasions has topped the chicago market 11 L allred who was recently elected an officer ot of the state cattle association ocia tion in commenting upon mr ellisonsr Elli sons talk to the association delegates suggest that we set up and take notice of what mr ellison says if what mr ellison says I 1 is true as it applies to utah it doubly true when applied to our uinta basin setup lets use these valuable suggestions as a guide and do some planning along these lines for next year mr allred advises BREEDING AND FEEDING BETTER CATTLE by L E ellison layton utah in a discussion of the subject assigned production and feeding of better livestock and as a background evidencing the noces necessity ces sity I 1 make this aront all is not well within the confines of our state economically it isa fact that our outgo out go in utah exceeds what comes in monetary values in 1938 gasoline alone cost 17 million dollars and were going in debt at the rate of a month the trade balance is against us its agriculturally we struggle in the face of a very limited acreage of productive land only acres of irrigated lands acres of dry farm land I 1 acres entirely unproductive but I 1 with a surprisingly big area of 44 I 1 acres of grazing areas productive in varying degrees our agricultural income a year runs from thirty five million to sixty five million ilion livestock sales exceeded crop sales on an annual average of about two and one half million from 1930 to 1938 livestock lagging quite evidently then we are in reality by virtue of our physical topography a livestock state then tile the clu question estion is this industry fully developed in this state emphatically no for we have leave approximately 1 roxi two and one half million rion sheep which number remains I 1 much the same from year to year and practically the maximum that 1 the state can care for as the delei mining factor in the summer range land about horses hordes about deer with little economic value accruing from them in tile the neighborhood of cattle considerably fewer than in some periods of the past it is estimated conservatively that the state is capable of caring for an additional head or 50 per cent more than its present cattle population the possible income from increased cattle numbers should help our economic dilema materially consider for a moment the alarming handicap we have brought on ourselves and which wo we now have to face that is our present real estate mortgage indebtedness of as compared with some less than in 1910 in 1910 our income from agriculture in aling and industry was much greater than today it is a fact that this states record in real estate mortgage delinquencies is bad federal eral land bank delinquencies now stand at 34 per cent and federal farm commission delinquencies at 37 per cent with a surplus of labor and incapable of giving the needed necole d employment to the youth of the state we educate and prepare youth at an enormous cost and in numerous cases other states reap continued on page four dan mitchell attended a meeting in salt lake L ake city saturday regarding moving of the state penitentiary mr mitchell is expected to attend another committee meet meeting incz regarding the same matter ln in salt lake this week breeding and feeding better cattle continued from page one the harvest we sow they reap it costs our state per capita for each pupil through elementary grades and high school produce and feed more cattle the few mentioned foregoing items are of concern we may as well come to a full realization of our position before it is too late and immediately direct our efforts in every helpful channel iannel cl possible that we may bring about better footing one of these possibilities lies in tile the production and feeding of better and more livestock particularly ticul arly cattle we shall pass in respect to quality sheep hogs and horses we compare favorably with our neighboring states stales in in their quality but with cattle it is not so especially with idaho wyoming and colorado seriously quality is lacking considerably in perhaps 50 per cent of the cattle numbers real quality in utah raise raised A beef is rather the exception and not the rule we can increase our income from livestock production more easily than we can from increased crop production with more certainty than from mining and with less effort than from manufacturing we must have livestock if we maintain and add to the fertility of the soil feeding in winter vinter is carried on considerable in fields with good soil results there exists a splendid opportunity to increase our income in increasing the number of cattle by breeding a better quality As already ind indicated our cattle quality is inferior and short in number remember all white face cattle cattie are not necessarily good cattle this breed is the most favored one for our ranges but also remember ren rember that this breed will degenerate more readily than perhaps any other if better ferdinands aie not used better quality means better prices quality cattle cost less to feed and market on a doltar dollar basis tile the market for quality whether for feeders or for fat is much broader and in fact extends to the atlantic seaboard utah cattle are about 60 per cent of tte the quality of idaho cattle about 45 per cent of tile the wyoming about 30 per cent of the colorado A disappointing comparison quality beef will increase consumption the production of of quality beef will undoubtedly increase consumption even if we could not contemplate increased prices we should accommodate the consumer by giving givin him a product of quality there is urgent need for quality improvement in this state for we are cons consuming upwards of 2 OW head 0 of if anfe inferior bior cattle each month about one third of the kill in this state is steers 40 per cent of which would not be considered good two thirds are cows and heffers heifers about two heifers heffers to one cow with 25 per cent of the ceif ers inferior and probably 50 per cent of the cows this desired change can be attained most effectively through the efforts of your organization and the support of the junior livestock shows and in the fostering of ah club and future farmers of america organizations in addition if we wish tile high class markets lor for feeders we must cease using large unsightly brands and eliminate hideous ear marks how much better a full eared dairy cow or beef animal looks to my knon knowledge ledge a parcel of calves last fall were dis discounted counted 75 cents a hundred weight on account of unsightly ears cars some waddles are also objectionable especially on the forehead or 0 on the under part of the neck while we are on the marketing question allow a timely suggestion on weighing conditions some localities are noted for heavy fills which invariably result in dissatisfaction to the purchaser the extremely poor dressing per cent of a recent shipment of oe twelve cars s car of cows cost the buyer his job iob we V L should give honest weights even at the expense ot of asking higher prices how many feeders are interested te in the percentage yield on their cattle many cattle feeders are recognized because of the yield their cattle make they are halt half sold good breeding for good feeders when they enter tile the market good breeding lays the foundation tor for good feeders and proper feeding makes ot of them good stock cattle and good beef what does it profit us to winter stock when loss in weight results in emergencies it becomes necessary occasionally to conserve feed but to follow the practice generally is like going going to to bat with two strikes already called many ranchers with little change in their setup set up can well afford to finish for market at lease part of their livestock unquestionably a surplus of hay bay is the best insurance a rancher can carry but one sees today on some ranches a big carry over of hay and yet impoverished stock a regrettable reg retable sight some ranchers put up hay bay with tile the notion it is to food feed in case loss is imminent and not with the idea of realizing its enhanced value by conversion into livestock meat reasons for feeding programs larg larger participation in feeding operations should be encouraged for the following reasons first to consume our feeds hay grain sugar company byproducts pulp and syrup second to provide a more extensive market tor for feeders third to give employment during a time when an unemployment is at its maximum fourth to provide fertilizer for depleted lands fifth to bring new money in into our commonwealth sixth to employ through loans a greater proportion of our dollars a new born problem feeding so far as practicable should utilize the feeds we produce and w we wa a can produce within our own borders practically every vestige and variety needed even to compete with the eastern feeder for ordinary feeding good alfalfa good corn ensilage and wet beet pulp fed in separate racks make a splendid ration and cattle will get very fat but grain fed in large quantities makes for hard fat and it is this hard fat with a smooth finish on quality cattle that demands the price the bulk of the prime beef in the united states is slaughtered in new york or jersey city plants only a handful of utah bred cattle will wil ever reach these atlantic coast packing plants regardless of how they are fed or how long until that time wilen we ive shall establish quality on our herds inferiority ot of quality is a handicap about that there is no question the pro problem biern is occasionally raised Is summer feeding practical and is long feeding to tile the first the reply is in the affirmative the second likewise but conditional dit ional on quality pasturing and feeding combined is practical I 1 am this season attempting to prove this expecting a daily average gain of two and a half to three pounds a head state ideal feadin feeding center we enjoy advantages here in utah for successful feeding of livestock not generally enjoyed elsewhere for summer the climate with w ith little excessive heat and cool rights nights the good water quality alfalfa bright straw plump small grains all combine to make this state an ideal feeding center in conclusion co nc lusion economically our position is insecure our problems are many we are especially concerned with one that or of expansion i of livestock numbers and marked improvements of livestock liveston quality this accomplished our in income will be increased and our position strengthened |