The sun., 1919-02-15
USE THAT FODDER HERE. | m
Need in America for Cattle Feed II
Is Proposed 70 Send to Europe.


To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-Str: 4
was interested in the editorial article In
THE Sun recently In which tho writer
reflected doubts as to the advisability
Of our economizing fodder In order to
ship II abroad.
Last month I spent several days in
Muskogee, Okla. and attended a sale OF
thoroughbred cattle which received in
tsrest from cattle breeders from all SEC
lions OF the country, many Of whom are
men OF large affairs and necessarily
students Of the industry.
Ono man stated that he was the owner
Of about . hundred polled Angus cat
tie. all registered stock, and several
hundred shorthorns. His ranch Is To-
Gated in Oklahoma, where they had a
drought last year which was very In
furious to both hay and corn as we'll as
to pasturage. Tho result Is that his
cattle went into the winter In very poor
condition. and he Ii obliged to borrow
several thousand dollars In order to pro-
cure food to feed during the winter, as
he could not sell in their present con-
dillon without a great sacrifice. Corn
was costing him $50 bushel and hay
about $40 ton.
These breeders, and more especially
the feeders. have worked out 10 a mathe-
NAUTICAL nicely exactly how much meat
will result from q given number OF
bushels OF corn. and from tho little ngur-
Ing that I did II was very evident that
even though the growers receive the
present high prices for their cattle and
hogs there Is really very little profit in H.
In the evidence before the investigat-
ing committee at Washington last week
It was stated that the farmers receive
a PROFIT Of about $50 a head on steers.
This may be true. but doubt whether
many OF the farmers take into considera-
ton the interest on the value Of their
land Some Of the growers claim that It
requires ten acres Of land to support .
steer. that Is making due allowances for
that part OF the land which Is required
to produce hay and corn to carry them
over the winter months; this. In addition
to the pasturage land required.
The man TO whom ! have referred
stated that his land was worth about
$3.50 an acre. For the sake Of argu-
ment. suppose 1t requires only five acres
instead OF ten. The interest alone on
Ave acres worth $3.50 an acre at per
cent would be f45 a year and, remember.
It takes more than one year to put q
steer on the market
In many sections of Oklahoma and
Texas, and in fact over the entire arid
region where cattle range. II requires
very much moro land for each steer than
In such States as Iowa. In this arid re-
gton the cattle producers do not pretend
to fatten their cattle. merely selling them
to the feeders.
Your article indicates there has been
envlng OF e20,co tons of fodder. which
can be sent to European ncutrals in the
form OF an oil cake meal. As an eco
noinic proposition. would II not be very
much better to use this fodder to fattsn
our own cattle. as It would save many
millions OF dollars in the matter OF
transportation alone. as tho ratio be-
tween fodder and meat Is probably
around ~ to 1.
Again were this fodder used IN this
country II would undoubtedly reduce the
cot OF producing meat materially, and.
perhaps. put Il IN the reach OF many peo-
pie who at present are not able 10 have
meat on their tables. as had been the
custom previous 10 the war.
It would appear there Is very little
hope for a very great reduction in the
price OF meat in this country. The ratio
OF cattle to population Is steadily de-
creasing and the value OF land steadily
increasing.
II instead OF continually attacking the
packers and listening to the Heneys and
demagogues Congress would examine
the facts they should soon realize that
II we are to have cheaper meat in this
country the cattle must be grown In
countries where the land values are very
much lower than they are In the United
States. II Is only a question OF time
until we must look to the Latin coun-
tries for our meat and many other com
modities that are now getting beyond
the reach OF the consuming public.
JOHN EREN Hickman.
NEW York, February u.