REPORT ON THE MIIWEST CATTLE FEEDERS' CONFERENCE 



Saturday, September 25, a cattle feeders* conference was held at Dee Moinee. 

 Ranchers, feeders, livestock producers' organizations, the War Food Administration, the 

 Office of Price Administration and agricultural^ colleges were represented. The follow- 

 ing impressions were received; 



1. The OPA may lower the ceiling slightly on beef carcasses grading connnercial or 

 lower and raise it on choice or good grades, but the cost of beef to the consumer would 

 remain the same. That probably would be done during the next two weeks if done at all. 

 Presumably that would increase the margin somewhat between feeder cattle and good and 

 choice fed cattle. I might mean less opportunity for profit from feeding common stuff. 



2. In general the impression prevailed that cattle would have to leave the ranges 

 and that they would became available at a reasonable price if feeders had the patience 

 to wait. A different situation was reported by former Oovemcr McIColvie for Nebraska. 

 In the Sand Hills region they V.ave enough feed to carry steers over winter for another 

 year of grazing. Nebraska reported a tendency to get on a steer basis, that is, sell 

 cows and keep steers. That would mean that the first steps toward liquidation were 

 under way. 



3. Emphasis was placed upon the maximum use of roughage and the high returns to 

 be obtained from an acre of silage in cattle feeding. 



k. No one seemed to expect a ceiling on live cattle prices, but a case is in the 

 courts now which might require OPA to fix margins all the way down. That would make 

 necessary the fixing of ceilings on live cattle. 



5. One speaker ventured the guess that there would be little if any reduction in 

 average live cattle prices during the coming year frcm the levels existing during the 

 past two months, 



^ 6. It probably will be unprofitable as well as unpatriotic to feed to a high 

 finish with present restrictions on available feed supplies, but it would be more de- 

 sirable to put a decent finish on cattle than to put an extra 100 pounds of fat on hogs. 



7. The demand for feeder cattle in relation to the supply of feeder cattle is 

 curtailed and will continue to be curtailed. Therefore feeders will be able to fill all 

 foedlots that should be filled this year at a reasonable margin of ^profit. 



8. Liquidation of native cows in Iowa is already under way. It is a good time 

 to get rid of some trash. 



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