The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1946-04-01


acute with each passing day. At the
beginning Of this year, the number
of head of livestock in the nation
was about the same as that for
January l, 1915, but the total sup
plies of feed were less for each
grain consuming animal. The rate
of grain feeding this winter has
been very high; too nigh, in fact.
John A. Arey, dairy extension
specialist, is very much concerned
over this situation. He says that
one thing which can be done to
alleviate this feed shortage,
especially Of protein meals, is to
plant a few acres of soybeans on
every farm where cows are kept.
Mr.. Arey is an expert dairyman,
keeping cows on his own farm in
Iredelle county, and greatly con-
cerned about every farmer who
rnilks COWS, whether they be few
or many.
He has been studying this feed
situation carefully and finds that
the supply CT feed grains for each
unit of livestock, including chickens
is about two percent smaller than
for one year ago; yet,despite this
shortage, the rate Of grain feeding
during the winter has been about
II percent higher. This rate was
continued through the first three
months of this year. AS many OF
you know, some Of this was due to
the strikes in the packing plants
causing livestock producers to have
to feed their slaughter cattle longer
than they intended to feed them.
Mr.. Arey has also found that a
shortage of about Is per cent
exists il the national supply of
protein meals such as cottonseed
meal, soybean oil meal, and the
like. Then, added to this, the nation
al production of these meals in
1915 was about 40 per cent short of
what it was in 1914. Then too, wheat
is being drawn from use as a feed
to be supplied to starving human
beings in Europe.
Imports Small
The imports of feed into this
country are small because OF
droughts in some of the chief pro
ducing areas of the Southern Henri
sphere. In other words, the figures
show that our imports from last
January l to June are expected to
be only $4,000 tons as compared
with 100000 tons for the same
period last year. That's real de-
crease in feed imports.
Must Grow Feed
In the face of all this, what is
the North Carolina livestock man
to do? He must grow all the feed
ne can if he expects to stay in
business. That's just about all mere
is to it. If he cannot buy feed, he
must grow it; and, if he will not
grow it, he had better pls 70 go
out of the dairy, poultry and b. II
cattle business. That's the way it
looks from here at this time. Mr..
Arey is no a1armist. He is a
sensible, dependable person and
when he tells the North Carolina
dairyman that he had better grow
feed this year, I for one, would try
to grow that feed. More hay and
silage will be needed for next fall
and winter. The acreage to per.
manent and supplementary pastures
must be increased and many of the
acres Of old pastures ought to be
renovated and re-seeded.
eff you plan to make money out
of hte dairy business, then you
had better prepare to ge!. at least
70 per cent of the total nutrients
needed by your COWS from rough
age, grazing, hay and silage,'
John says. ''These are things that
we can produce at home and now
is the time to make plans to do So -
Soybeans can be planted this
spring and will help to overcome
the shortage of protein meals. The
beans can be ground and used as
such in the grain mixture or they
may be exchanged for soybean oil
meal. Mr.. Arey says tina. grain
mixture composed of equal parts
by weight of crushed corn or cob
meal cr11shed oats crushed barley