Smyrna times., 1955-12-29
FARM OUTLOOK
In DELAWARE
(Continueo from Page FOur)


the present favorable egg-feed
ratio will mean more fall eggs
and prices below that of the fall
of 1855.
Turkeys: The favorable prices
for turkeys in 1855 proabbly will
mean a larger turkey flock in
1856 accompanied by lower prices.
Early reports on growers inten-
tons indicate more turkeys will
be produced next year. AS of Oc-
tober 1 there were 13 percent
more breeder hens with 9 percent
increase in number pullorum test
ed. This coupled with an expect
ed increase in the egg productiv-
ity per bird would be the makings
of big increase in the turkey
flock next year. At present the
industry advisory committee is
encouraging growers to market a
part of their breeder fiocks for
the 1855 holiday season rather
than hold them for breeding pur-
poses. The results of this and
other efforts to reduce the 1856
crop will not be known until early
in 1856.
The market and profits from
Beltsville and "small whites" will
be about like that of 1866. Com
petition from other poultry and
red meats will be keen, but feed
costs will be below those of a
year ago.
Livestock
Hogs: Last year started off
with 13 percent more hogs onl
farms than a year earlier. In
addition, both the spring and fall
pig crops were larger than the
previous year. AS result, hog
marketing in the fall of 1855 has
been considerably above normal
with prices proportionately lower.
In October 1855 hog prices at the
Chicago market averaged $40
per hundred-weight below year
earlier. Hog slaughter has been
running between 8 and 10 percent
above that of the same period a
year ago.
Normally, such situation
would cause farmers to drastically
reduce production; however, the
cut back in hog production will be
somewhat less than would be ex-
pected. Hog prices and corn
prices declined at about the same
time so the corn-hog ratio, the
barometer for hog production, did
not become highly unfavorable-
11.8 in 1865 compared with 1875
in 1854. While this is below the
ratio hog growers consider neces-
sary for normal profits, the plent-
iful supply of corn not eligible for
government loan - the need to
keep the volume of sales up-and
the lack of immediate alternative
uses for farm resources has re-
tarded the adjustments usually
expected when the bottom drops
out of a market.
Opportunities for profits from
hogs in Delaware in 1856 will be
small. Low cost gains will be i'm
portant. Hogs that are raised on
salvaged feed that would other
wise be lost have low production
costs and place on some Della
ware farms. Such forms of sal
vaged feeds are down corn, and
corn and grain lost during har-
vest, poultry and vegetable
wastes, and in the beef cattle
feed lot.
Beef cattle numbers appear to
be leveling off after a steady
climb for several years, but the
plentiful supply of lower priced
feed and strong demand for beef
products will prevent any large
down turn in cattle numbers next
year. 1t would appear that prices
for feed cattle will be equal to or
slightly below that of 1855. With
feed prices lower than last year,
there is an opportunity for fair
profits on beef cattle for the eff
ficient farmer that knows how to
buy, manage, and market beef
cattle.
Beef cattle on many Delaware
farms hold a similar position as
that of hogs, salvagers of surplus
or waste feed. Extra pasture,
roughages, off quality or lost
grain frequently can be marketed
to advantage through meat an
imals. Also, they offer an oppor-
tunity for the farmer to make
better use of labor and other re-
sources than would otherwise be
possible.
Sheep: Very little change in