1916] A2fIMAL PBODrCTIOX. 669 



Summary of the rarioug factors that mak<^ up the cost of frodmdmg • fesr- 



linr — ContmoedL 



Item. 



BeeL 



BAbi 



CoEtofraisiagac&l::; -;-r_i:c :i:^s; 



Cowcfaar^ i J?: r' S.-J 



BoUcfaaise ' $"^ -•: $2.3 



Pwd I $. 



Labor 



Total east at veasin|r time $37.74 | $?-. 



Cost of raising a 3r«eiiins: 



Xmnber of Janus. j 190 



ATeneenmaber of ealTes pa^ farsi... 34.45 



Cost St vaanrap time. «$S5-3J •>*' 



Wiater4Bedea6t $:2.S:; *' 



Otbercbai^es $4.e2 *■ 



Grosseost j $vi.l4 r,> 



Crsilits $'-.5; *" 



Keican $:o.M r~:.52 



•A cbaica ib the noniber of Anns on vtiicfa tha tahnhtinwi of tlie ooEt of f w lnr i ne jwitinFJ >s based 

 caoses the figmes (Ml OKt of calf St weanins time to chaise in t2u5 part <rf1b> table. 



ft Italic ^aies here caU attoitian to tlM fact tbat tbe baby-beef anteal is caiiied sonavkat baywd tka 

 vearlins stage. 



"The data obtained indicate that the keeping of catCe for berf purposes 

 alone is adapted to the more extensiTe types of farming, while the keeping of 

 cattle primarily for beef purposes, but where an income is also obtained from 

 milk products, is better adapted to the more intensive types of farming. 



" The averages brought out in this investigation would seem to indicate that 

 profits obrained from the raising of calves on corn-belt farms are very smalL 

 However, the following facts must be taken into consideration: (1) Good 

 returns have been obtained for a large quantity of roughage which, had it not 

 been utilized by live stock, would have been waste: (2) a home market has 

 been provided for salable crops: (3) on many farms a large acreage suitable 

 to pasture only has been utilized: v^) profitable employment is provided for a 

 season of the year when labor otherwise might be idle: (5) a return is ob- 

 tained for capital invested in equipment which, in many instances, were it not 

 utilized by live stock, would return nothing: and (6) when the farmer merely 

 breaks even he has at least made 6 per cent interest on the money he has 

 invested in the cattle business. When all of these factors are taken into cuMi- 

 sideration. even though there appears to be little or no profit, it is b^ieved that 

 in most cases the farm income is greater because of cattle having been ki^ 

 on the farm." 



rr. rtUizaiion and cadency of acoiJalile AmericaH fecd^tuffs, W. F. Ward 

 and S. H. Ray. — In this study the total loss to farmers from the waste of com 

 fodder and straw is estimated at about SlOiSdO.OOO each year. 



In 1914 about 120,000.000 tons of straw was produced in the United States. 

 Of this. 55 per cent was fed to live stock, while 15 per cent was burned. S p«r 

 cent sold, and 22 per cent plowed under or otherwise disposed of. It is sug- 

 gested that greater publicity concerning the value of straw, its use as a fillCT 

 in commercial feeds, and in various mantifactures, might aid somewhat in 

 preventing its waste. 



Corn stover produced in the United States is estimated at 245.253^000 tons, 

 of which S1.5 per cent was fed to cattle and other stock. No data were ob- 

 tained as to the percentage wasted in feeding, but is estimated as at least 35 

 per cent. This waste can be checked through the use of better methods for 

 feeding fodder and stover, and it can be almost entirely stopped through the use 

 of silos. Of the total amount of stover produced S.7 per cent was burned. 10:2 



