-2- 



^P the level at which they are likely to be maintained in the postwar period, however, 



that any indication of an early termination of war would probably be a bearish influ- 

 ence. In fact the invasion of Europe may be so interpreted. 



Com receipts are at a very low level because of the recent weather condi- 

 tions. Practically no oats reach terminal markets. The demand for all feed grains 

 is especially strong and is likely to remain strong throughout the suimaer. 



Com set -aside . The War Food Administration has taken steps to control trans* 

 portation of com in the 125 set-aside counties. Truckers and railroads are not to 

 accept for transportation any com except under terms of the set-aside order. County 

 AAA committeemen will issue permits to move the corn, and carriers will act in accord- 

 ance with these permits. 



Live stock -feed ad.1uetiaents . W, C. Berger, Chief, Feed and Livestock Branch, Wai* 

 Food Acbnini strati on, outlined some of the steps that may be necessary to adjust live- 

 stock numbers to the available feed supply at a recent convention of the American 

 Feed Manufacturers Association. He siiggested a limitation of the total pig crop to 

 95 million head for 19^^ instead of the previous goal of 105 million--also the re- 

 doubling of efforts to cull laying flocks, We need a downward adjustment In our cattlt 

 numbers by slaughtering three million more than the number of calves dropped. Our 

 difficulty here is that the capacity for slaughter is about ^k million head, but it 

 would take a slaughter of 56 million head to reduce our cattle numbers as much as Mr. 

 Berger thinks necessary. He would cull 100 million hens out of the present laying 

 flocks instead of the 50 million we would normally cull during June, July and August. 

 In spite of the reduction in hatchings compared to a year ago, he thinks that we will 

 have all the chickens we need in view of the feed situation. 



The 19^^ spring pig crop is estimated at 60 million head. That means a sub- 

 stantial reduction in the fall pig crop and marketings at light weights in order to 

 save 12 million tons of feed, equivalent oi" about 552 million bushels of com. The 

 total pig crop in 19^3 vas approximately 122 head, Mr. Berger does not seem to ex- 

 pect that it will be possible to bring about any automatic geographic distribution of 

 feed supplies but that liquidation of livestock would be forced in those areas where 

 feed supplies are not available. 



Professor L. C, Cunningham of Cornell University in addressing the same meet- 

 ing indicated that the northeastern dairy and poultry farmers are faced with the ques- 

 tion of how to meet a feed deficit this summer even more serious than the one a year 

 ago. He expects the demand for feed to continue heavy for the remainder of this feed- 

 ing year. He does not expect wheat, oats and barley to be as readily available to 

 feed deficit areas this summer as they were last year because old stocks of wheat 

 were sharply lowered, oats and barley acreages were reduced by the lateness of the 

 season and because of grain price ceilings. In his opinion, adjustments in grain 

 price ceilings are needed. Otherwise some other form of orderly reduction of live- 

 stock production would be in the best interest of all concerned. He suggested that 

 the reduction by class of livestock by region should be based on requirements for 

 human food. 



Milk production . In May the pastures were in fairly good condition for the 

 |i^ country as a whole, but milk production per cow was down to 15. 60 pounds from l6.12 

 "^ pounds a year ago. In Illinois milk production per cow kept by reporters averaged 

 the same this year as last--17.1 poimds. Milk production on farms in the United 

 States for April was slightly lower than for April 19^3 and 19^2j otherwise it was 

 the largest April production on record. The number of cows is about 2 percent larger 

 than a year ago, but production per cow is somewhat lower because of the delayed pas- 



