( 76 ) 



about two thirds as much. Milk production changes rela- 

 tively little. 



The complete dependence of livestock production upon 

 crop production is thus illustrated by experience. It is im- 

 possible to expand livestock production beyond our feed 

 supply, no matter how much we may desire more milk, meat, 

 and eggs. Those who wish to see high livestock production 

 might better give their attention to the production of feed 

 crops than to exhorting the farmers to raise more animals. 

 Feed, not livestock, is basic ; the number of animals is quickly 

 adjusted to the feed supply. If greater livestock production 

 is desired, the prices of feed should be permitted to rise so 

 as to stimulate the production of feed grains. The numbers 

 of livestock will automatically rise as long as feed is avail- 

 able. Recent emphasis on livestock production relative to 

 feed production is like pulling men off the assembly line to 

 put them in the shipping department. 



Livestock Products per Acre and Feed Unit 



Formerly the farmers raised large amounts of grain and 

 hay to feed horses so that they could produce more grain 

 and hay to feed productive livestock such as hens, cows, and 

 hogs. Now the tractor does much of the heavy field work and 

 the automobile and truck do all the road work formerly done 

 by horses. The amount of feed fed to horses declined because 

 of the reduced numbers and the reduced rates of feeding to 

 the reduced numbers. Consequently there was more feed 

 available for the production of the highly prized animal prod- 

 ucts for man. 



There has been a sharp increase in the amount of live- 

 stock products produced per acre of feed crops because of the 

 improvement in field cultural practices, the development of 

 better varieties of crops such as hybrid corn, and the expan- 

 sion in the acreage of alfalfa. Not only has the feed produced 



