Imperial Valley Press

Planned Program
Aid to Livestock
Production in I. V.

Editor's Note—This is the second in a series of articles summarizing the annual report of the Agricultural extension service. Last week we reviewed crop production development. This week, livestock.

A well planned weeding, feeding and breeding program to improve Imperial county's livestock industry was the principal development in livestock production during the past year, according to the annual report of the agricultural extension service.

Fourteen meetings were held on dairy ranches throughout the county to emphasize the advantage of feeding a balanced ration and help was given to determine the size of trench silo needed for the herd maintained and plans have been furnished to show method of constructing trench silos.

In beef cattle improvement results of feeding tests were supplied comparing pasture supplemented with a small amount of alfalfa hay and straight yard feeding. Total net gain in supplemental feeding was 209.8 pounds as compared to a net gain of 178.9 on the straight yard feeding basis.

Additional demonstrations to show advantages of planned weeding and breeding programs were made available.

Feeding programs were also worked out for swine growers in various districts in which the importance of getting young pigs on proper feed before and after weaning time was emphasized.

Disease control was stressed in meetings conducted by the extension service and by the county veterinarian in which the need for sanitation was emphasized.

Marked improvement in housing poultry is in process, according to the report, as a result of developments worked out by the extension service. A new design was worked out to meet poultry needs under Imperial county conditions.

Features of this house include (1)—Economy of structure. (2)—Use of desert evaporative coolers to lower extreme temperatures. (3)—Simplified control of sanitation, easy parasite and disease control. (4)—Labor saving system of handling because of newly designed moveable equipment. (5)—Easily converted into all purpose house, brooding, growing or laying.