CHAPTER XIX 

 WHY RAISE FARM ANIMALS 



Importance of farm animals. The total number of farm 

 animals in the United States for any one year is a good index 

 of their importance as a farm product. For the year 1916 

 the values were estimated as follows: 



Horses $2,150,468,000.00 



Cattle 2,306,254,000.00 



Sheep 254,348,000.00 



Swine 571,890,000.00 



Attention has been called to the fact that the demand for 

 farm products is fast overtaking their production. This is 

 particularly true of meat animals. For example, the number 

 of beef cattle in 1900 was 50,083,777, but in 1916 was only 

 39,453,630; while the population had increased from 77,- 

 256,630 in 1900 to over 100,000,000 in 1916. 



Aside from the need of farm animals as indicated by demand 

 and supply there is another equally important reason for 

 their production. It has to do with a system of general 

 farming which makes a profitable use of crops and of crop 

 residue, and at the same time makes provision for maintaining 

 the fertility of the soil. Farm animals are necessary for a 

 system of this kind. 



Soil fertility. Crop farming has been shown to be not 

 only less profitable than general farming, but more wasteful 

 of soil fertility. Special farming, such as truck gardening, 



201 



