Montana farmer-stockman. [volume], May 15, 1950, Page 7, Image 7

About Montana farmer-stockman. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1947-1993

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
More Beef Per Dollar Is Breeders' Aim
(Continued from page 1)
very much longer."
This country should produce ani
mals that can produce the greatest
gains in the shortest time on grass
for sale to feeders. He added that 75
percent of the beef is produced on
feeds other than grains. Quality "on
the hoof" can't be fed into animals
but quality and weight "of the meat
can-be accomplished through feeding,
to a large extent.
Packer buyers have an unlimited
demand for 400 to 600 pound beef
carcasses at the present time largely
because the average housewife
doesn't want a lot of fat on her light
cuts of méat.
"It's still the consumer demand
that sets the price," Hablas added.
"And price is the only real restric
tion on consumption—indicating that
we would be better off having more
creased efficiency.
Cuts of meat showing the rib eye
of large, medium and small type cat
tle were shown to the audience.
Hablas pointed out in the demonstra
tion that this essential rib eye was
seldom any larger in large cattle
than in smaller typeä.
Large vs. Medium
Fred Willson, head of animal in
dustry department, Montana State
college, pointed to Montana research
work indicating that producers must
get a considerable premium for the
medium type cattle produced here
over the large type to realize the
same profits. The medium type cat
tle have not graded any higher when
dressed out than the larger type and
the selling price has been practically
the same.
Experiments in 1949-50 showed a
difference of $7.35 for large cattle
out of the feed lots over the medium
type. Willson pointed out that in
Montana considerations, the term
"medium" should be used rather than
small because there are none of the
really "small" cattle known to other
areas.
Many of the commercial cattlemen
have a natural preference for the
larger cattle if they are operating on
public grazing lands because their
fees per animal unit are the same
for a large animal as for the smaller
type and a greater profit can usually
be realized.
There is definite evidence, how
ever, according to Willson, that,
*... we can select for maximum feed
utilization within the various size
types."
Proved Capacities
The ability to put on pounds will
always be a factor on the range, ex
plained Albert Mitchell, Albert, N.
M., because commercial cattlemen
have to sell to feeder buyers who
still get more money from more
pounds on the finished animals.
The Hereford proved itself for rug
gedness and prolificacy on the early
ranges and came out on top over all
other breeds being used. Herefords
found more adaptable to the
were
wide range of western range condi
tions. These proved capacities of the
breed must be used fully to keep
Herefords the breed supreme. Heavy
milking capacities in cows must be
encouraged so the cattlemen can
start with a good rugged calf.
Heavier Hind Quarters
"The range men of Canada, and
Alberta especially, demand rugged
ness and size in their cattle," said
W. A. Crawford-Frost, Nanton, Alta.
"They want all the size they can get
up to the point of sacrificing the
basic short shank type they like.
Personally, I like the larger of the
medium size cattle."
value of front and hind quarters is
something Crawford-Frost thinks the
packers should consider. Breeding
should be toward an animal with
lighter shoulders but heavy top and
large hind quarters, which is where
the choice, higher priced cuts come
from. He suggests that packers "rib
out" show animals of the different
A better ratio of balance in cash
breeds so that an actual determina
tion of where the meat comes from
can be made.
Suggests Guarantee
Charles Redd of LaSal, Utah,
brought up the idea that this respon
sibility of the registered breeder to
the commercial cattlemen should per
haps be put on a guaranteed basis,
"The show ring is not always a safe
register of values and the registry
of merit program doesn't always do
the job.
M
The commercial man is entitled to
some assurance that a bull will per
form, said Redd, and suggested that
such a guarantee might be given
for an added 10 percent. If the bull
didn't produce, the buyer could ask
for a replacement or adjustment of
some kind.
Redd criticized show ring judges
who place one animal and then indi
cate on the side that another animal
not quite as "showy" would be a bet
ter addition to any herd for the pro
duction of better cattle. "We had
better breed judges that will have
more courage," he declared.
Defines Type
Type was defined by Harold Ful
cher, Arvada, Colo., as an ideal com
con
bining all the factors which
tribute to the animal's efficiency for
the purpose specified. He thought
the conventional type was the one
most breeders have been striving for.
"The registered breeder can't be a
17-Day Weather Outlook
Montana-Wyoming Forecast: May 15 to June 1
FREQUENT CHANGES and fairly warm and dry is the weather
outlook for Montana and northern Wyoming for the remainder of May.
There are a few storm periods indicated which should result in light
to moderate precipitation but total up to well below the normal for this
time of the year. The area immediately east of the continental divide
is expected to fare the best for moisture at this time.
Warm weather is indicated to predominate much of the time, but
there will also be a few brief cool spells and probably some frost. The
cool air movements will, set up disturbances and cause frequent
weather changes. In general this forecast period looks favorable for
growing weather.
Weather Changes
The period is indicated to begin with a disturbance along the Ca
nadian border, followed by a brief drop in temperatures. Scattered
showers are likely from the 15th to 16th in Montana.
Dry weather and fairly high day temperatures are expected to move
in from the west by the 17th and continue to the end of the week.
Unsettled to cloudy weather is due about Saturday, the 20th, fol
lowed by a low-pressure disturbance to develop and cross this forecast
region from the 21st to 22d. A day or two of showers and lower tem
peratures may result.
A frontal disturbance, a drop in temperatures and possibly fropt are
expected to invade Montana about Thursday, the 25th, and reach north
ern Wyoming within a day later for a few days of widespread showers
and cool weather. Fair weather and warm days are expected to return
to this region by Monday, the 29th, and continue until Tuesday, Me
morial day.
By May 31st a storm is expected to cross the central Rockies and ex
tend far enough north to cause moderate precipitation in northern
Wyoming and southern Montana and lesser amounts all the way to the
Canadian border.
The area east of thie continental divide should be favored most by the
precipitation from this disturbance. Cool, wet weather will carry over
into the month of June.
Precipitation; Average below normal. Temperatures: Above normal.
mental laggard in recognizing the
trend of demand for his product.
supply it," he said. Fulcher also
stressed the value of good quality
dams in beef production,
If the customers want the larger type,
the registered people will have to
said Milton Simpson,
Customer Always Right
Much in the cattle business de
pends on the customer, "who is al
ways right,
Montana Stockgrowers Assn, presi
dent of Volberg. He explained that
the commercial cattlemen must keep
guessing ahead as to just what kind
of a beef carcass the housewife
wants.
Feeder buyers want cattle that will
make them a good return in feeding
profits. Simpson suggested that both
commercial and registered cattlemen
should visit the feed yards their cat
tie go to periodically to keep up with
changing demand conditions. Gen
erally speaking, he thinks it is nec
essary to pick a type that has a good
big, growthy frame with plenty of
room for expansion. He doesn't think
it is necessary to bother much about
legs as the packer buyers cut them
off anyway.
Too much attention has been paid
to show ring standards, Simpson
thinks, rather than the simple pro
duction of good growth calves ca
pable of putting on beef. Crossbreed
mg went out with the horse and
buggy days, he said, and straight
line-bred Herefords are proving to be
as thrifty and more desirable.
Feeder Prefers Medium Size
Warren Monfort, Denver, Colo., ex
pressed a preference for top "good
to choice" cattle of good size for his
feed lots and believes the extra cost
of higher quality feeders is well re
turned in faster and higher gains,
He wants the medium type beef ani
mal generally, adding that good
frame and roominess are required.
Premium prices are being paid 4-H
youngsters who put on good eco
nomically sound gains regardless of
whether they have the top show ani
mals, in his Colorado area, said Mon
fort.
Good Conformation
"You don't have to worry about
type or size if you just produce ani
mals with good conformation includ
ing head, top and flanks," said A. H.
Karpe, cattle feeder of Bakersfield,
Calif. Feeding experiences were
cited to show the feeding superiority
of quality calves. It is possible, how
ever, to carry over larger type ani
mals for longer feeding periods if
the market warrants it where this
is sometimes not possible with small
er types.
Howard Lewis, Bozeman, modera
tor of the panel, concluded with the
recommendation that the American
Hereford Assn, work for more prac
tical standards in show judging. Such
standards should be "a little more in
line with our producers' values" so
cattle buyers could be given a truer
picture of the potentialities of the
cattle, he said. He also suggested
something be done about getting a
closer relationship between the
breeders, show ring people, range
operators and the feed lot men.
attention to health and nutrition and
maximum production from meadows,
ranges and pastures were stressed
by experts participating on the herd
HERD. RANGE MANAGEMENT
Careful selection of bulls and cows,
and range management panel Friday
morning. Curtice Martin, Stevens
ville, served as moderator of the
panel.
Questions from the floor indicated
prime interest of stockmen present in
increasing grass production per acre.
This had been stimulated by reports
from members of the panel on new
records of range and pasture carry
ing capacity recently achieved in the
south and far west.
R. G. Johnson, range management
stated that Florida had recently
added 1,000,000 acres of pasture land
capable of producing from 350 to 850
pounds of beef a year. He cited an
operation in Washington, which, un
der oldtime range methods, had pro
duced beef at a cost of $15 a hundred
pounds, was now, under more inten
sive methods involving irrigation and
high fertilization, producing beef at
$6 per hundred pounds.
Grass Prime Resource
Johnson declared that grass is the
resource that carries the livestock
industry and said that in most in
stances the best range management
is that which makes the best use of
the grasses established by nature.
He pointed out that crested wheat
grass has proved itself this year by
providing green feed two to three
weeks earlier than native grasses.
Intermediate wheatgrass has had
much favorable publicity, he said,
and it does have much merit. It does
particularly well in areas favored
with more moisture, remains green
and palatable much longer than
crested wheatgrass but does have a
tendency to run out after a few
years. Reasons for this have not yet
been determined.
Further interest in methods of in
creasing acre production was quick
ened by a brief report of the develop
ment program being carried out by
Dan Thornton on his ranch at Gun
nison, Colo. Thornton, nationally
noted Hereford breeder and Colo
rado state senator, touched on the
program in connection with his out-