There has been a decUne in the number of cattle on farms since 1900, 

 as shown in Table 1 . 



Some increase in the number of cattle on farms to an estimated 115,000 

 was apparent in 1952. This is probably a temporary phenomenon that does 

 not violate the general downward trend in livestock numbers of all types 

 which has been in progress since 1900. 



The cattle are located predominantly in the Connecticut and Merri- 

 mack valleys. The northern counties of Grafton and Coos claim the largest 

 numbers, followed by Hillsborough and Merrimack, with the lowest number 

 in Carroll County. 



Table 2. Number of Cattle on Farms in New Hampshire by Counties — 1950 



County Number of Cattle Distribution 



Percent 



Belknap 5,373 4.9 



Carroll 3,188 2.9 



Cheshire 9,334 8.5 



Coos 14,459 13.2 



Grafton 22,314 20.3 



Hillsborough 13,580 12.4 



Merrimack 13,512 12.3 



Rockingham 11,787 10.7 



Strafford 6,868 6.3 



Sullivan 9,243 8.4 



State 109,658 lOO.O 



About two thirds of all farms in the state have cattle and 75 percent of 

 the cattle are on a third of these farms. 



During 1952 there was a spring pig crop of 13,000 and a fall farrowing 

 of 2,000 sows to produce 11,000 pigs. Approximately 13,000 hogs were 

 marketed and the rest were farm slaughtered or custom slaughtered for 

 home use. 



There were approximately 4,000 lambs born in 1952 of which 2,000 

 were marketed, 1,000 died, and 1,000 were kept on farms for breeding. 



