Baumgardner, John H 1972-10-04
In the first tape, Professor Baumgardner discusses the history of feedlot development on the Texas plains. He touches on topics of financing, technical advances, and mentions feedlot personalities. In the second tape, Baumgardner traces and outlines technical and scientific developments in feedlot management and rationing. In the third tape, he tells an anecdote. In the fourth tape, he discusses the extent of drug use, recent outbreaks of disease, the history of hormone use, and feedlot record-keeping.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: John H. Baumgardner
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: October 4, 1972
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Interviewer: David Murrah, R. S. Dunn
Length: 3 hours, 10 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1:
(Tape one: 1 hour) Discussion of oral history project on feedlot industry,
Terry County corn production related to cattle feeding (1920s),
Early Lubbock feedlot identified,
Role of cottonseed in 19th century cattle feeding noted,
Myth of cottonseed meal poisoning cited,
Relationship of Corn Belt feeders to local feeders,
Reasons for originating feeding practices discussed,
Role of Texas Tech's Dean W. L. Stangle in growth of feedlots examined,
Influence of far western tour (1962) mentioned,
Pioneers in the industry cited,
Post-World War II development traced,
Personalities recalled
Tape 1, Side 2:
History of feedlot financing explored,
Feeding operations of 1950s reviewed,
Cattle market patterns cited,
Effort to establish "boom" era of cattle feedlots, 1966 to present,
Volume, extent of feedlot activities on Texas plains examined,
Review of feedlot progress,
Technical developments outlined,
Steam flaking, hormone use noted,
Contrast between private and public innovations mentioned,
Feedlot viewed as economic stimulus to related activities,
Dissatisfaction with railroads noted,
Potential interviewees named,
Origin of Texas Cattle Feeders given,
Areas of project concern listed
Tape 2, Side 1:
(Tape two: 1 hour) Feedlot personalities named,
Early rations discussed,
Sorghum processing explained,
Silo types identified,
Refinement of rations traced,
Contributors to ration development named,
Micronizing process examined,
Texas Tech research noted,
Spur experiment station work cited,
Scientific developments summarized,
Early use, abuse of hormones,
State of feedlot operations in 1950s explained,
Steam flaking process reviewed
Tape 2, Side 2:
Micronizing advantages given,
British, Japanese micronizing corporations cited,
Feedlot construction firms named,
Past and Present rations compared,
feedlot "milling" discussed,
Evaporative cooling in feedlots described,
Inventory of feedlot equipment,
Accommodations of custom feedlots as contrasted to private feedlots,
Operational procedures of custom feedlot reviewed,
Ration mechanism (Flo-con) discussed
Tape 3, Side 1:
(Tape three: 10 minutes) Story of cowboy's use of alcoholic content in grain silo related
Tape 3, Side 2:
Blank
Tape 4, Side 1:
(Tape four: 1 hour) Discussion of drug use and development in feedlot industry,
Cause, need for drug use noted,
New cattle diseases cited,
Cattle disease conditions examined,
"Pre-conditioning" concept and procedures discussed,
Business procedures studied,
Veterinarian work cited,
Feedlot drugs, cattle treatment discussed,
Identification technique cited,
Drug treatment resumed,
Feedlots are performing functions which were performed by ranches in the past,
Reason for recent outbreak of screwworms given
Tape 4, Side 2:
Recent outbreak of scabies and treatment noted,
Nature of scabies discussed,
Cattle dipping practices described,
History of hormone use to stimulate growth related,
Ban on oral use of hormones cited,
Hormone use defended,
Use of sex hormones discussed,
Salvage of dead cattle in feedlots recalled,
Feedlot record-keeping surveyed,
Use of computers studied
Range Dates: 1920s-1966
Bulk Dates: 1920s-1966
Access Information
Original Recording Format:
Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
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