UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE 
 
 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 
 
 BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 
 
 FEED REQUIREMENTS FOR CALIFORNIA LIVESTOCK 
 AND POULTRY PRODUCTION 1 
 
 In order to meet increasing demands for defi- 
 nite information on feed requirements of the 
 livestock and poultry industries in California, 
 the Divisions of Animal Husbandry and Poultry 
 Husbandry in cooperation with the Agricultural 
 Extension Service of the College of Agriculture 
 have assembled the data shown in tables 1 and 2 
 (page 2). 
 
 Table 1 gives the numbers and production of 
 California livestock and poultry in 1942. The 
 estimated amounts of grain, high-protein concen- 
 trates, hay, silage, and pasture that were re- 
 quired to produce the animals and birds are shown 
 in table 2. 
 
 Based upon the inventory numbers of livestock 
 and poultry on January 1, 1943, as compared with 
 those of a year earlier, it seems reasonable to 
 suppose that even larger quantities of feeds, 
 particularly grains and protein concentrates, 
 will be needed in 1943 than were used in 1942. 
 Hogs and poultry are heavy users of grains and 
 protein concentrates and production of both of 
 these classes of farm animals promises to be 
 considerably larger this year than last. 
 
 Beef Cattle 
 
 The beef cattle inventory numbers represent 
 all cattle and calves on California farms January 
 1 other than milk cows and dairy heifers one to 
 two years of age. 
 
 The total pounds of beef produced in California 
 in 1942 include the live weight of beef cattle 
 and calves slaughtered plus the gain in inventory 
 numbers figured at 325 pounds per head. 
 
 Based upon records of inspected slaughter and 
 estimates of the number of dairy cattle and 
 calves included in such slaughter, it is esti- 
 mated that a total of 779,000 head of beef cattle 
 and calves from California ranges and feed lots 
 was slaughtered in 1942. Of this number, ap- 
 proximately 739,000 head were cattle and approxi- 
 mately 40,000 head were calves. In calculating 
 the live weight of animals slaughtered, 930 
 pounds was used as the average weight of beef 
 cattle and 275 pounds as the average weight of 
 
 ^-Prepared by G. B. Alcorn, D. T. Batchelder, 
 L. W. Fluharty, G. E. Gordon, W. E. Newlon, 
 L. H. Rochford, V. M. Shepard , Arthur Shultis, 
 and Wallace Sullivan, all of the Agricultural 
 Extension Service; H. J. Almquist, V. S. 
 Asmundson, S. Lepkovsky and L. W. Taylor, of the 
 Division of Poultry Husbandry; H. R. Guilbert , 
 G. H. Hart, E. H. Hughes, R. F. Miller, and W. M. 
 Regan, of the Division of Animal Husbandry. 
 
 beef calves. From the total poundage thus ob- 
 tained, there was deducted the estimated arrival 
 weight of the 367,000 head of stockers and feed- 
 ers brought into the state. 
 
 The production of beef in feed lots in 1942 is 
 estimated at 73 million pounds, or 15 per cent of 
 the total. This was based upon 290,000 head and 
 an average gain of 250 pounds per head. The gain 
 of 250 pounds per head may be somewhat high, but 
 it should compensate for the omission in the esti- 
 mates of total feed requirements of the supple- 
 mental feeding of those cattle which are full-fed 
 on the range. 
 
 On irrigated pastures the production of beef 
 in 1942 was estimated at 60 million pounds — 13 
 per cent of the total. This estimate was based 
 upon the use of 150,000 acres of irrigated pas- 
 ture and a gain of 400 pounds live weight per acre. 
 
 Beef production from range, nonirrigated pas- 
 ture, and field cleanup was derived by subtract- 
 ing from total production the estimated quantities 
 produced in feed lots and on irrigated pastures. 
 The 342 million pounds thus obtained is 72 per 
 cent of the total. 
 
 Based upon the estimated average feed-lot ra- 
 tion, 367 pounds of nonlegume hay, 158 pounds of 
 legume hay, 273 pounds of grain, 158 pounds of 
 beet pulp (dry equivalent), 52 pounds of molasses, 
 and 42 pounds of protein concentrate are required 
 to produce 100 pounds of live-weight gain. This 
 average ration contains about 10.8 per cent total 
 protein or 7.4 per cent digestible protein. Ac- 
 cording to enterprise-efficiency studies, 216 
 pounds of hay and 21.8 pounds of concentrates are 
 used in addition to grazing for each 100 pounds 
 of gain produced from range production. It was 
 estimated that 70 per cent of the hay was non- 
 legume and 80 per cent of the concentrate was pro- 
 tein feed. These data have been used in calculat- 
 ing total feed requirements other than range, 
 field cleanup, and irrigated pasture. 
 
 Dairy Cattle 
 
 The dairy cow population was the same on Janu- 
 ary 1, 1943, as on January 1, 1942, namely 786,000 
 head. The number of dairy heifers, however, was 
 3 per cent larger. 
 
 Official data on the quantity of milk products 
 marketed from California farms during 1942 are not 
 yet available. In 1941 such quantity amounted to 
 approximately 181 million pounds of milk fat. En- 
 terprise-efficiency studies indicate that the milk 
 fat marketed represents about 90 per cent of the 
 
 [1] Uh.. ;FOKNlA 
 
 RY 
 
 COLLI.'.. :<JCULTURE 
 
 DAVIS 
 
TABLE 1 
 Number of California Livestock and Poultry, and Production by Classes 
 
 *Milk cows two years old and older, 
 t Stock animals. 
 
 tHens and pullets of laying age. 
 ^Breeding hens. 
 
 
 Number on farms 
 
 Production from farms 
 
 and feed lots in 1942 
 
 
 Jan. 1, 194-2 
 
 Jan. 1, 1943 
 
 Meat 
 ( live 
 weight ) 
 
 Milk 
 
 (4 per 
 
 cent fat) 
 
 Eggs 
 
 Wool 
 
 
 thousands 
 
 thousands 
 
 million 
 pounds 
 
 million 
 pounds 
 
 million 
 dozen 
 
 million 
 pounds 
 
 Beef cattle 
 and calves 
 
 1,526 
 
 1,545 
 
 475 
 
 
 
 
 Dairy cattle 
 
 786* 
 
 786* 
 
 236 
 
 5,133 
 
 
 
 Hogs 
 
 894 
 
 1,019 
 
 197 
 
 
 
 
 Sheep 
 
 2,977 t 
 
 2,828t 
 
 162 
 
 
 
 24 
 
 Chickens 
 
 12,494* 
 
 14,034* 
 
 60 
 
 
 159 
 
 
 Turkeys 
 
 428 § 
 
 492 § 
 
 58 
 
 
 
 
 TABLE 2 
 Feed Requirements for California Livestock and Poultry in 1942 
 
 
 Barley 
 ( or 
 
 equiva- 
 lent ) 
 
 Protein 
 concentrate 
 (40 per cent 
 ecmiva- 
 lent) 
 
 Legume 
 hay 
 
 Non- 
 legume 
 hay 
 
 Silage 
 
 or 
 soilage 
 
 Pasture and range 
 
 
 Irrigated 
 
 Nonirrigated 
 
 Beef cattle 
 and calves 
 
 Dairy cattle 
 
 Hogs 
 
 Sheep 
 
 Chickens 
 
 Turkeys 
 
 thousand 
 tons 
 
 176 
 177 
 352 
 20 
 473 
 115 
 
 thousand 
 tons 
 
 45 
 44 
 46 
 10 
 146 
 25 
 
 thousand 
 tons 
 
 168 
 2,623 
 
 21 
 121 
 
 27 
 
 10 
 
 thousand 
 tons 
 
 391 
 816 
 
 78 
 
 thousand 
 tons 
 
 432 
 
 74 
 36 
 
 thousand 
 acres 
 
 150 
 
 224 
 
 23 
 
 120 
 
 thousand 
 acres 
 
 40,000 
 1,050 
 
 18,000 
 
 Totals 
 
 1,313 
 
 316 
 
 2,970 
 
 1,285 
 
 542 
 
 517 
 
 59,050 
 
 [2] 
 
milk fat produced. On this basis, total produc- 
 tion of milk fat in California in 1941 would be 
 around 201 million pounds, which is equivalent 
 to 5,025 million pounds of 4 per cent milk. The 
 average milk production per cow in 1941 was in 
 the neighborhood of 6,530 pounds. Applying this 
 figure to the number of milk cows in 1942, namely 
 786,000, would indicate a total production of 
 milk this past year of 5,133 million pounds. 
 
 The annual slaughter of dairy cattle and 
 calves adds materially to the state's meat supply. 
 On the average the dairy herds of the state con- 
 tribute about 300 pounds of meat annually for 
 each milk cow two years of age and over. In 1942 
 it is estimated that a total of 236 million 
 pounds of dairy meat (live weight) was produced. 
 This figure includes cull cows, cull heifers, 
 bulls, and veal calves sent to slaughter, but it 
 does not include dairy calves raised to yearlings 
 and beyond and sold as beef cattle. 
 
 Dairy cattle receive a wide variety of feeds 
 including not only various grains and hays but 
 also many by-product concentrates. Enterprise- 
 efficiency studies made in various sections of the 
 state indicate that the following amounts of feed 
 will be sufficient to maintain the average dairy 
 cow for one year, to produce 6,530 pounds of 4 
 per cent milk, and to provide for the annual 
 proportion of her replacement cost: 8,750 pounds 
 of legume hay, 450 pounds of barley or equivalent, 
 112 pounds of 40 per cent protein concentrate, 
 1,100 pounds of silage and soilage, and 8.1 ani- 
 mal-unit months of pasture. 
 
 Hogs 
 
 The inventory of hogs in California January 1, 
 1943, was probably the largest in the history of 
 the state. Producers responded to the call for 
 greater production during the war by an increase 
 in numbers farrowed and saved and by marketing at 
 heavier weights. The pig synthesizes fats from 
 carbohydrates which become available as lard. The 
 estimated number of California hogs produced in 
 1942 was 985,000. The tonnage of live hogs given 
 in table 1 is the result of multiplying the number 
 of California hogs produced by 200 pounds, the 
 estimated average weight of those killed. 
 
 The feed requirements shown in table 2 are 
 based on the fact that it takes about 500 pounds 
 of feed to produce 100 pounds of live hog. This 
 figure includes the feed consumed by the breeding 
 herd as well as those fattened and marketed. If 
 pasture, legume hay, stubble, and waste products 
 are deducted from this figure, it is estimated 
 that 400 pounds of concentrates are actually re- 
 quired. This includes grain and protein concen- 
 trates from both animal and plant sources. In 
 the 352 thousand tons of barley or its equivalent, 
 there are included grain sorghums, wheat, and gar- 
 bage. The most commonly fed protein concentrates 
 are tankage, fish meal, soybean meal, linseed 
 meal, cottonseed meal, and by-products of the 
 dairy. 
 
 Inspected slaughter of hogs in California in 
 1942 amounted to 1,977,000 head. Of this number 
 
 about 40 per cent originated in California and 
 about 60 per cent in other states, mainly Idaho, 
 Nebraska, and Texas. 
 
 Sheep 
 
 On January 1, 1942, there were 2,977,000 head 
 of stock sheep in California not including lambs 
 on feed. During the spring 464,000 head of lambs 
 were shipped out of the state, although during 
 the year a total of 1,445,000 head of sheep and 
 lambs was shipped into the state. Of these 
 990,000 were for immediate slaughter and 455,000 
 were stockers and feeders. The total pounds of 
 sheep and lambs produced from California farms 
 and feed lots in 1942 amounted to 162 million, 
 based on an average live weight of 82 pounds for 
 lambs and 110 pounds for sheep. 
 
 Approximately 67 per cent of the sheep and 
 lamb output is produced on range land (including 
 some supplemental feeding) , 29 per cent on irri- 
 gated pastures, 3 per cent in feed lots, and 1 
 per cent on beet tops. 
 
 Fattening lambs on irrigated pastures is an 
 important branch of the sheep industry and it is 
 estimated 120,000 acres are utilized by lambs. 
 Approximately 250,000 lambs are fattened in feed 
 lots and 100,000 on beet tops annually in Cali- 
 fornia. The production per acre is highest in 
 irrigated pastures, namely about 400 pounds; in 
 feed lots, 354 pounds; on beet tops, 70 pounds; 
 and on range lands, 6 pounds. The latter is low 
 since it includes not only farm and foothill areas 
 but also the mountain areas, many of which have a 
 very low carrying capacity. 
 
 During the grazing season the average amount 
 of range land used per animal is around 6.4 acres. 
 An acre of irrigated pasture ordinarily provides 
 sufficient feed over the entire grazing season to 
 finish about 22 lambs. Only about one third of 
 these lambs are on the pasture at any one time. 
 
 The supplemental feed fed to breeding ewes on 
 the range and farm is estimated at 150 pounds of 
 roughage and 32 pounds of concentrates, according 
 to enterprise-efficiency studies. The roughage 
 is probably 60 per cent legume hay and 40 per cent 
 volunteer grain and bur clover hay. Due to the 
 fact that hay alone is fed in many cases, it was 
 estimated that only one half of the breeding ewes 
 receive concentrates which are composed of 50 per 
 cent protein supplement and 50 per cent corn, 
 barley, or equivalent. 
 
 The net production of lambs per breeding ewe 
 averages about 65 pounds live weight annually. 
 The California wool clip for 1942 amounted to 24 
 million pounds, and was obtained from 3,429,000 
 sheep and lambs. The average clip per animal was 
 about 7 pounds. 
 
 Poultry 
 
 Inventory numbers of hens and pullets of laying 
 age in California were 12 per cent larger on Janu- 
 ary 1, 1943, than a year earlier; while inventory 
 numbers of turkey breeding hens were 15 per cent 
 larger. 
 
 The amount of chicken meat produced includes 
 
 [3] 
 
cull hens and broilers from laying flocks and com- 
 mercial production of broilers, fryers, and roast- 
 ers. Egg production in 1942 is based upon an av- 
 erage of 161 eggs per hen for the average number 
 of hens in the flocks. 
 
 The quantities of feed consumed by the chick- 
 ens and turkeys were derived from enterprise- 
 efficiency studies, and the composition of the 
 rations fed the different classes of birds was 
 that recommended by the California Agricultural 
 Experiment Station. 
 
 Of the total quantity of feed consumed by 
 chickens in 1942, about 73 per cent was required 
 for egg production and about 27 per cent for meat 
 production. 
 
 The production of other forms of poultry such 
 as ducks, geese, pigeons, and squabs, is rela- 
 tively small. Data are not available which will 
 make possible accurate estimation of feed re- 
 quirements for production of these forms of 
 poultry. 
 
 General Statement on the Animal-Eeed Situation 
 
 The general livestock feed situation is ac- 
 companied by many unpredictable features. 
 
 The present serious shortage of protein feeds 
 is due to several factors: 
 
 1. Milk production all going directly into 
 human consumption. 
 
 2. Failure of normal imports to this coast in- 
 volving copra and oil-bearing seeds from the 
 Pacific area and meat scrap from South America. 
 
 3. Reduction in production of fish meal on the 
 Pacific Coast due to commandeering of fishing 
 boats and other war conditions. 
 
 Possible available supplies for the 1943 season 
 estimated on a 40 per cent protein basis are as 
 follows : 
 
 Tons 
 
 Coconut meal 10,000 
 
 Cottonseed meal 65 ,000 
 
 Linseed meal 90 ,000 
 
 Fish meal 100 ,000 
 
 Tankage meal 35, 000 
 
 Soybean meal 100,000 
 
 Total 400,000 
 
 The roughage situation makes the picture more 
 involved. The estimated 1942 hay production of 
 4,871,000 tons is divided as follows: 
 
 Tons 
 
 Alfalfa hay 3,440,000 
 
 Grain hay 1 , 164 , 000 
 
 Wild hay 267 , 000 
 
 In the surplus-hay-producing area farm machin- 
 ery and manpower may not be available to harvest 
 and particularly to bale the hay produced in 1943. 
 This tends to reduce the quantity moving into nor- 
 mal channels of trade creating scarcity in de- 
 ficient-hay-producing areas as particularly oc- 
 curred in Los Angeles County last winter. Under 
 such conditions hay feeding is reduced to a mini- 
 mum (8-15 pounds per cow per day) and concentrates, 
 particularly proteins, increase 25 to 50 per cent. 
 
 This throws off the estimates of concentrates re- 
 quired. Under the law of averages a dry year can 
 be expected at any time. It is now overdue. 
 Natural vegetation on ranges and unirrigated pas- 
 ture lands is still of great importance. Should 
 it fail from a moderately dry year all estimates 
 would be wrong. 
 
 Despite warnings from various sources inven- 
 tories of all species of farm animals are rising 
 and estimates of feed required are based on lower 
 numbers than actually exist. Too many animals in 
 relation to feed supply will tend to reduce pro- 
 duction rather than increase it. Prices on 
 slaughter animals, dairy, and poultry products 
 are such that all animals on farms are being fed 
 unusually well. 
 
 Equitable distribution of available supplies 
 to all areas is going to be difficult. Cali- 
 fornia for many years has been long on protein 
 feeds and has tended to feed them at higher levels 
 than necessary. To change this practice will 
 be a problem. Mixing of all feeds at central 
 plants will not solve it , will create serious an- 
 tagonism, and is to be deprecated. Such a pro- 
 cedure is entirely impractical in supplementing 
 the range feed for stocker and feeder cattle un- 
 der poor feed conditions on our ranges. It can 
 thus be readily seen that the over-all picture is 
 very cloudy. Nevertheless, understanding and co- 
 operation by all individuals and groups in the 
 production field, aided by an informed government, 
 will be necessary to prevent lack of feed for ani- 
 mals resulting in lack of food for people. We 
 need every form of both roughage and concentrates 
 to be produced to the limit, harvested efficient- 
 ly, and used knowingly. Exports from the state, 
 particularly to Hawaii, are involved. The draw- 
 ing of such supplies from a deficient area such 
 as California can lead to serious complications 
 unless means are provided for replacing such ex- 
 ports. 
 
 Sources of Data 
 
 1. California Cooperative Crop Reporting Service. 
 Animal livestock report. Inventory numbers 
 and value. January 1, 1943- Summary for 
 1942. March 24, 1943- (Mimeo.) 
 
 2. United States Bureau of Agricultural Economics. 
 Meat animals--farm production and income, 
 1941-1942. April, 1943. (Mimeo.) 
 
 3. United States Bureau of Agricultural Economics. 
 Farm production and income, chickens and eggs, 
 1941-42. March, 1943. 
 
 4. United States Bureau of Agricultural Economics. 
 Farm production and income from turkeys, 1941- 
 42. April, 1943- 
 
 5. California Bureau of Dairy Service. Statisti- 
 cal report of California milk products, 1941. 
 Special Bui. 191:1-80. 1942. 
 
 6. California Agricultural Extension Service. 
 Enterprise-efficiency studies, published and 
 unpublished reports. 
 
 7. Asmundson, V. S. and T. H. Jukes. Turkey 
 production in California. California Agr. 
 Ext. Cir. 110:1-78. 1939. 
 
 8. Almquist, H. J., T. H. Jukes, and W. E. Newlon. 
 Supplement to California Agricultural Exten- 
 sion Service Circular 108. 2 p. 1942. 
 
 [4] 
 
 5m-7, '43(6965)