Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-30
ONLY PROFITABLE WAY TO CON.
VERT GRAIN INTO CASH
--"- ON FARMS,
IOWA BEEF PRODUCERS
IN ANNUAL SESSION
President Of Assoei alton Declares State
Has Been Losing Ground in Beef
Production - Corn Production In.
creased on Beef Cattle Farms OF.
ficers Chosen.

duce larger profits than can be secured
from straight grain farming. was, in
substance, the declaration Of beef spe-
cialists of the state who We're on the
program of last nights meeting here
of the Iowa Beef Producers Associa-
ton.
Iowa has an almost inexhaustible
field of endeavor and unlimited oppor-
tunities for garnering the wealth OF
the country in beef raising, the speak
ers asserted, and the production OF
the state can be materially increased
by general movement among farmers
toward raising stock and feeding 1t the
products of the soil instead OF market
ing agricultural products direct.
ct is better to market your products
on four legs than on four wheels, Is
the way one of the speakers put his
advice.
From the speeches of the experts the
beef growing situation and prospects In
Iowa may be summed up as follows:
Decrease Is Shown.
Beef cattle have decreased in Iowa
in twelve years 80 per cent.
Dry farming, irrigation and rapid
settlement of western lands have de-
stroyed the ranges until the west is
producing only 40 per cent Of the num-
Der of beef cattle it produced ten years
ago. Iowa can no longer depend upon
the ranges for cattle to feed, but must
produce its own beef.
Averages taken on experience Of pro-
ducers show that beef raising is more
profitable on high priced Iowa land
~ lei n
the same time the fertility Of the land
is destroyed to less extent by beef
raising.
There has been abundance in all
AGRICULTURAL production this year. but
in live stock production we nave not
come up to the same mark, sald
Charles Escher, president of the associ-
alton, in his address last night The
supply of live stock for 1913 will aggre-
gate less than that for 1912. 1t will
require seven years for the United
States to get back to a normal supply
Of cattle, and by that time the popu-
lation will have increased another ten
millions. The shortage is bound to
continue. Next year. and each succeed
ing year for the next decade, will see
decreasing receipts in livestock mar
kets.
Iowa Is Losing Ground.
iowa has been famous as a cattle
feeding state. but if Iowa continues to
hold her station in agriculture she must
get back into livestock production. Beef
production will. and of necessity must.
become an Iowa industry. With it Will
come more sios, less soil robbing, more
permanent bluegrass pastures more al
falfa and clover, and more conservation
of the fertility Of our silos.
"At least half Of the 100000 farms in
Iowa ought to be producing some sort
Of beef. Each farmer could easily pro-
duce a car Of baby beef each year
which would bring him at present mar
ket prices about $1,000. Not more than
twenty-five COWS would be necessary TO
keep up the rate OF production and
siXty-tive head of cattle would be the
maximum the farmer would have to
iced at any one time.
ITO be prosperous We must market
our crops by way of the livestock route
and keep the fertility on our farms.
Conservation is d prime factor OF i'm
portance today. We have learned how
10 raise the crops best adapted to our
soils and climate but We have not
learned that We must return to our
land a part Of what we take out. 1t is
not a question Of fattening cattle but
| the growing Of beef that we are most
| especially interested in. Corn belt
| farmers must awaken to the tact that
| if they expect to handle cattle they
must breed them. The Pacific coast will
| grab the major portion Of our range
bred cattle from now on. If we wish to
| produce beef We must raise our own
feeders
I a~>f