Cattle-Feeding in the Imperial Valley

CATTLE-FEEDING IN THE IMPERIAL VALLEY Robert A. Kennelly Long Beach State College During the past two decades a new emphasis in beef production has developed in western United States—that of feedlot operations. With nearly 10 per cent of the entire nation's cattle-feeding business, California leads all other western states; furthermore, this activity is highly concentrated in the Imperial Valley which now averages one-fourth of all cattle on feed in the state. Imperial Valley is the generally accepted term for the southeastern portion of the California desert, formerly called Saltón Basin. During the past half century, with the help of Colorado River water, this below-sea-level area of several thousand square miles has been converted from wasteland to highly productive agricultural land. The gentle surface, deep alluvial soils, yearround growing season, and plentiful water supply, together with generous applications of capital and technical skill, have made this one of the outstanding agricultural areas of the West. Historically, cattle production in the Imperial Valley may be divided into two major periods. During the first, which extended from about 1910 to 1940, irrigated pasturage was the basis of a significant beef industry, which reached a level of approximately one hundred thousand head annually in various years prior to 1940. Emphasis on feedlot operations began in 1940 but, with the advent of World War II, production actually declined until 1944. The feedlot emphasis became marked about 1950, and is largely responsible for a tripling of output during the past decade. A little pasturing is still done, but at present more than 85 per cent of the cattle are on full-feed programs, and those on winter pasture or summer sugar beet residue are usually put into the feedlots later for finishing. The growth trend is graphically illustrated in Fig. 1. The Imperial Valley now has more than 150 feedlots, of which about 115 are actively in operation. These range in capacity from one hundred head to more than 20,000 head, being capable of accommodating a total of approximately 300,000 cattle simultaneously. Although the majority of the lots can take less than one thousand head, the mean size of active lots is about 2,500. The bulk of the business, however, is done by a score or so of large lots capable of handling more than 3,500 head at a time. Feedlot Types Feedlots have been traditionally classified into five types, but only two are really significant in the Imperial Valley. The first of these is the commercial feedlot, which probably accounts for more than one-half of the feeding activities. This is essentially a custom business in which cattle are fattened 50 MPERIAL COUNTY CATTLE PRODUCTION ANNUAL-I9IO-59 Fig. 1. Sources: Prior to 1930, varied unofficial and semi-official reports; after 1930, Imperial County Board of Trade, El Centro. on contract terms for anyone desiring that service. The commercial lot earns its income from the sale of feeds, services, and space, and does not assume any market risk as a necessary part of the operation. The owners of the animals in commercial lots range from large operators who devote full time to managing their cattle interests and whose main economic functions are management, financing, and risk-taking, to middlemen with recognized market outlets for meat animals, and down to smallscale amateur operators carrying on speculation as a sideline. In general, the relationship between a commercial feedlot and the owner is informal, and the terms of their agreement quite standardized. The owner depends entirely upon the feedlot for the details of animal care, and takes no active part in this phase. Such care is one of the recognized services of the feedlot —the service upon which its reputation is based. In some cases, but by no means generally, the owner's dependence upon the feedlot operator extends even to buying and selling decisions. In a few cases, the owners dictate the details of the handling of their stock; few commercial lots, and then only the smaller ones, will accept such contracts, since special care for certain lots of animals is not consistent with the mass-production aspects of their operations. The second most important...