Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-10-16
situation Oct. l
0f Lamb Feeding
Boston, Oct.

s,,nments OF feeding lambs and
.ssen into the corn belt states from
1 yuIv to october l, INDICATE that feed
no. in these states VIII be consider
my greater this year than last,
ponorts on the situation in the
i hept states as it had developed
;, october l. indicated a material
- .o,rease in feeding in that area
:ron last year. Shipments of feed
-. ..S stock from twelve leading mar
i tns into the Corn Belt states for
sNe three months period weN over
saS 600 head or nearly $50 larger
.Ssn last year. and about the same
.i in 1924. Direct shipments to
sssders In these states not going
NV, markets are also reported as
mich larger than last year.
The feeding situation in the West
..n areas is still very uncertain due
y" conditions in Colorado. The
So.vv movement into Colorado
USUALLY commences about the middle
~ october and continues to the end
~ November, but by the first OF Oc-
,oher a large part of the feeding
stock has been contracted for. Up
"a that date this year, comparative
" few contracts had been made and
sasders were still insisting that they
Tould not buy lambs at current
rrices. At the end of the first week
= october. it was estimated that
nnv about 250,0 lambs had been
extracted for Northern Colorado
which is not more than one fifth OF
the number that would be expected
m be fed under feed conditions pre-
yailing this fall A similar situation
Exists in the SCOTS Bluff and Central
platte Valley sections of Nebraska,
except that in the Central Platte
area, feed supplies are very short and
feeding this winter would be much
less than last, even if lambs could be
bought at prices in line with feeders
IDEAS.
Feeding In other Western states.
except possibly Idaho, will equal or
exceed last year from present re-
ports. but the developments in
colorado may affect conditions II,
these states, the probable tendency
being for feeding to increase in Colo.
rado feeding is on much reduced
scale. If Colorado feeding is only
5O.60Ss of usual as is now estimated
by some observers, the shortage in
this state will amount to between
100000 TO 100000 head. Feeding
outlet for this number of lambs will
have to be found either in the Corn
Belt or in other Western states.
For the past four years, the num-
Der Of lambs on feed January l, has
been about evenly divided between
the Corn Belt and Western states,
Western Nebraska being included in
the Corn Belt, but by the end of
February, most of the Corn Belt sup
DIV had been marketed and Colorado
and Western Nebraska were the
principal sources of supply of fed
lambs during March, April and May.
Il Corn Belt feeding is largely in
creased this year and Colorado and
Western Nebraska decreased, the
usual distribution Of the supplies of
fed lambs may be considerably !
changed Materially increased mar
setng in December, January and
February and short supplies in
March and April would be expected
unless feeding practices in the two
regions are adjusted to meet the
situation. Ii the total number OF
lambs fed this season is increased In
proportion to the estimated increase
IN the Western lamb crop, such an
unbalanced distribution of markets /
hgS would be even more marked.
w. o. FRASER.
Local representative, |
L. S. Dept. Agriculture. |