The Coolidge examiner., 1938-01-27
Pinal County Center
OF Cattle Feeding

vi AaCCIG F.0oQ1NS
Considerable numbers of cattle
and sheep are on winter feed in the
irrigated valleys of Ari-
IONA according to a report issued
by Llyod B. Shinn, specialist in
for the agricultural ex-
tension service of the University
Of Arizona. According to the annual
survey made in cooperation with
county agricultural agents there
were on December Is, 1897, ap-
125,S00 head of cattle
and 166500 head of sheep in feed
lots and on pasture in Maricopa,
Pinal, and Yuma counties.
This represents an increase Of g.
900 head of cattle and a decrease
of 1880 head of sheep compared
to the numbers on feed a year ago.
The reports shows that Maricopa
county has total of $4,000 head
of cattle on feed compared with
$4,000 head for the previous year;
Pinal county has a total of 1S,500
head on private and Indian lands
compared to 20,9O0 for the previous
year; and Yuma county has a total
of 1000 head compared to 1860
head for the previous year.
Shinn states that there was
substantial increase in pen feeding
of cattle, some $500 head being
fattened in pens representing an
increase of 1880 over the totals
for December Is, 1886 This increase
in pen feeding was due principally
to the scarcity of pasture. Cattle
feeders are at present pasturing
every available acre of alfalfa,
barley, and hegari stalks not being
used by dairymen and sheep feed
ers besides pasturing every avail
able acre of cotton stalks. The cat
tie on pasture number $500 COM
pared with $500 at the same time
in 1886.
The numbers of ewes and yearl-
ing lambs in the three feeding CO.
unties was 1885, 500 on December Is,
1887, compared with 182,S00 head
the previous year. Ewes brought
in for lambing operations number
ed 152,700 compared with $4,000
head on December Is, 1886. A sharp
decrease in the number of yearling
lambs pastured was made in 1897,
only $4,000 head being on feed
compared to approximately 47,OO0
head at the same time in 1896.
Shinn states that on December
Is, 1887, the number of sheep on
pasture was 112,700 in Maricopa,
2S,4OO in Yuma county, and 25,4O0
in Pinal county. The 1885 survey
of the situation showed 1872 200 head
of sheep in Maricopa county; $4,000
head in Yuma county; and 1850
head in Pinal county.
Total hay in the hands OF sheep
feeders was only $3.50 tons on De-
cember Is, 1897 compared to TO-
700 tons at the same time the pre-
vious year.
In order to show cattle and sheep
feeders how much hay is available
for feeding during the winter
months check up was made OF
all hay supplies. Total hay in stor-
age on December IS, 1897 was es-
timated by Shinn to be $4,000 tons
compared with 100000 on Decem
Der Is, 1886.
Total hay in storage on December
Is, 1887, was $4,000 tons for Mari
copa county, including 1880 tons
in dealers hands, and 4,60O tons
were in storage in Yuma county,
with practically no hay remaining
in dealers hands.
The hay and pasture on Indian
lands in Pinal county are an i'm
portant factor in the feeding situa-
ton. Some 1000 head of cattle were
pasturing on these lands on De-
cember Is, 1887 and sheep for the
first time were feeding there in
large numbers.
In concluding his report Shinn
remarked thQt further expansion
of feeding operations in the three
important livestock feeding coun-
ties will depend upon an increase
in the acreage and production OF
alfalfa and other feed and forage