■</ 



IMPROVEMENT IN FEED SITUATION 

 By L. F. Stice, Extension Marketing Specialist 



There has "been a decided Improvement In the livestock feed outlook for the U. S. as 

 a whole in recent weeks due to favorable growing weather for com and the harvesting of a 

 bumper oats crop. The U.S.D.A. July 1 estimate of 19U5 com production was 2,685 million 

 bushels, about one-sixth below the record crop of 3,228 million bushels harvested in 19M4^. 

 The August 1 estimate of the com crop Is 2,&ik million bushels, and it is stated that thir 

 does not reflect the continued favorable growing conditions since August 1. 



The fear has been that lateness of the com crop and prospective lower production 

 coupled with the emticipated increase in 19^5 fall pigs would result in a very tight feed 

 situation in the spring and summer of 19^6. This fear has not been entirely removed by tbt 

 August 1 crop estimate, but the outlook is much better. According to the present estimate, 

 the supply of all feed grains (com, oats, barley and grain sorghums) for the coming feed- 

 ing season will be k percent below last yearns supply. Because of the dire need for human 

 food in Europe, it is not expected that as much wheat will be available for livestock feed 



as in the past three seasons. 



T-'ons 



1.25 



1. 00 



FEED CONCENTRATES, SUPPLY AND 

 DISAPPEARANCE PER ANIMAL UNIT 

 1958-19^2 av., and 19U2-I9U5* 



Supply 



1 .05 



.75! 



.50^ 



.25' 



OL 





1 S 



193^-19^2 



1.10 



y '■'•'•'. 



mm 



mm 



n .0 



19^" 



1.06* 









I9i^5* 



Feed requirements in the 12 months 

 from October 1, 19^5, to September 30, 19^, 

 are expected to be about the same as in the 

 current feeding season, although they will be 

 influenced by the feeding mfiirglns which pre- 

 vail during this period. The present picture 

 is that the supply of all feed concentrates 

 per grain- consuming animal unit will be U per- 

 cent less than at the beginning (October 1, 

 19^5) of the current feeding season (see chart 



If present estimates are realized, 

 there should not be a forced liquidation of 

 livestock similar to that which occurred in 

 19^1^. With conservative usage, feed concen- 

 trates may be generally adequate but not abun- 

 dajit. In some areas the supply will be very 

 short. If there is a large queuitity of soft 

 com, heavy feeding may take place in the win- 

 ter and early spring months which would result 

 in a critical shortage In the late spring and 

 summer months. 



av. 



Year beginning Oct. 1 



^August 1 estimate. 



