406 



EEPOET OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



has about one-seventh of all the cattle in the country, but the num- 

 ber in proportion to total land area is slightly less tnan in the State 

 of Rhode Island, with an insignificant total of 36,037 head of cattle; 

 and the value of the cattle of Iowa is almost as great as the value of 

 those of Texas, although the number is not half so great. 



In general it may be said the highest average value of cattle is in 

 the northern Atlantic States, but, excepting New York and Penn- 

 sylvania, none of these have large numbers and all of them import 

 considerable numbers of beef -cattle or meats. The more northern 

 States have the largest number and most valuable dairy cows. The 

 South Atlantic and Gulf States have comparatively small numbers 

 of cattle, of inferior quality. 



The regions from which cattle for dressed beef are largely exported 

 to other States or to other countries are two: A group of seven States 

 in the central West, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, 

 and Nebraska, these also being known as the chief corn-export States; 

 and a group of two States and three Territories in the further West, 

 Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, and Wyoming, These two 

 groups have more than half of all the cattle in the country (about 

 two-thirds of all, aside from the milch cows). It is to be kept in 

 mind that in the second group only a small percentage of the cows 

 is classed as milch cows, as they are not used for dairy purposes, 

 being suckled by their calves. 



This classification is somewhat arbitrary and does injustice to some 

 States noteworthy for number or excellence of cattle, as New York, 

 with, approximately, 2,400,000 head, of which over 1,500,000 are 

 milch cows; Pennsylvania with about 1,800,000 head. 



The accompanying table, from the Report of the Commissioner of 

 Agriculture, gives estimated number and value of the cattle in each 

 State and Territory, January 1, 1888: 



Table showing the estimated number and value of cattle on farms in the United 



States January 1, 1888. 



[From the report of the statistician, United States Department of Agriculture.] 



