Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-04-19
HIGH STOCK FEED
PRICES THREATEN
SWINE and DIARIES
Territory's Supply of Fats is
Menaced, Says Ranchman
in Summing Up Recent De-
VeIopmentS

hogs, but also In the near future tc
cause another material raise in the
price Of milk. =
&, A number Of dairynen are ready
now TO 90 OFT Of business II they can
get rid OF their mich cows for any
thing like the investment represented
IN the cows 80
Virtually all hog raisers who nave
20 buy special feed instead Of giving
their swine swiil will have 20, siauoh.
ter because Of these increasing prices
ef stock subsistence.
Such In brief rs the situation pre-
scented today by one OF oahu's- veteran
ranchmen &. ~. Bellina. He foresees
o serious shortage In cattle and swine
& the present trend continues.
The situation Is doubly serious be.
cause just now the military and civil
ian students Of the foodstuffs problem
declare that Hawaii should be fncreas.
ing instead OF decreasing its supply OF
fats.
Mr.. DeIlina believes that the slaugh.
tering CT swine and dry cows is in
creasing now, due TO high feed prices
which make IL nnprofitable for ranch.
men TO continue in business.
Hearing that Alr. TBellina was in
possession Of facts which would be of
value in the present agitation for more
adequate foodstuffs, the Star-BuIletin
this morning asked him for a state.
ment. Summed up, HIS oral statement
is as follows:
Stock Foods Junpina
Within the past two weeks stock
feeds have jumped TO an unprecedent,
cd degree. Here are some OF the in.
Creases.
Beet pulp. from s2s or $40 a ton to
$40. ssss's sS'i
gs1re MIX" "a well known dairy
feed) from $40 to SOS q ton. This En-
crease is said to have become effect.
I've yesterday.
Mlddlings, from So to $50 ton.
Alfalfa meal. from t2s and $50 to
$50 a ton.
Beet pulp used TO sell around s25.
The last increase Is said to have put
il to a figure where the ranchman
cannot afford to feed It to his ami
mails
Feed for pigs. says Mr.. Bellina, is
rising with equal rapidity. To some
extent the same kinds of feed are
used as for cattle. Alfalfa meal Is a
swine feed.
Whole corn. formerly $45 a ton. is
now quoted at $50. Rice bran is said
70 have gone from s24 TO about $40
/ er ton.
Virtually al of these increases
have become effective In the past two
weeks" says Bellina.
Pigs Must Be slaughtered
AS I view the situation, all the
rig-raisers, at least on this island,
who have been buying these feeds,
lave got to slaughter their swine be-
cause feed Is so high II doesn't pay
70 raise them Personally, | must
market some 800 pigs Immediately,
which will represent loss because to
set profit should have to feed them
for several weeks or months and dis
lose OF them in lots.
Il believe that II this situation con.
tinues, the supply OF swine In the is
lands is going to be cut very drasti-
tally. And once the supply is cut
down il takes long time. by natural
increase. to bring it w again"
MiIk Situation Serious
Asked about the milk situation, Bel
Ina says that II Is quite as serious.
The Honolulu Dairymen's Associa-
ton, q cooperative concern of the milk
PRODUCERS. handles probably 81 per
cent OF the milk on Oahu. II the pre-
Nailing high prices for dairy feed con-
t,nue, dc not see how there can be
tiny result but q jump In milk prices.
Either all the producers must raise or
some of them will 90 out of business
and the available supply be cut down.
An increase In milk became effect
lie in February, partly TO meet the
Increased cost OF production, partly
IA make up for previous loss or def.
cit. The producers now receive 8
cents a quart from the association.
The consumer buys fer cents pint
or l3 cents quart. The increase
Will probably be to cents pint and
is cents a quart"
He says that he is informed already
there is a circular letter or petition
fCing the rounds Of the smaller PRO-
Gucers, heralding the increase in price.
Killing DRY" Cows IS,
Because OF the heavy cost of keep
ing up dairy herds" he adds. many
dairymen probably will not be able to
carry their cows over the dry period
When the COW goes dry she will be
sent TO the slaughterhoHse
Travelling over some OF our roads
the past few days. have seen herds
being driven into town-and they are
probably for the slaughterhouse. II is
certain that the dairy herds will be
materially reduced"
Bellina estimates that at least so
rer cent of the dairymen on Oahu viii
face the necessity either of getting
higher prices for their milk or OF going
out of business.