ECONOMICS OF THE LIVE STOCK INDUSTRY 59 



that the live stock industry should enable the farmer to win as 

 large a long-time average net profit as he could secure from 

 other sources, and enough more to make worth while the extra 

 effort put forth when he could have found employment in no 

 more productive line of activity, but which time might have 

 been spent in enjoying the products of his labor or in improving 

 his mind. One thing to consider in this calculation is that the 

 crops are usually much larger on stock farms than on grain 

 farms of equal natural fertility. 



Whether a given farmer should keep cattle, hogs, or sheep, 

 or a combination of these, is determined by the kind of feed at 

 his disposal, the relative prices he can secure for the different 

 classes of live stock products, and in some measure upon his 

 personal likes and dislikes. The corn belt is preeminently the 

 hog belt, and the region for finishing beef cattle. The northern 

 edge of the corn belt is the principal dairy region, partly be- 

 cause of the demands made by cities for whole milk; partly 

 because the corn is in danger of being damaged by frost and can 

 be more safely handled through the silo. 



In the heart of the corn belt the farmer finds it profitable 

 to put a full day in the cornfield. The labor demands made by 

 hogs and beef cattle are almost negligible during the time of 

 year when corn is demanding attention, whereas the dairy 

 makes a heavy drain on the farmer's time throughout the sum- 

 mer, and hence the cow is relatively a stronger competitor 

 in the region where corn is a less profitable crop than in the 

 heart of the corn belt. 



Cows have replaced sheep in Vermont, New York, north- 

 eastern Ohio, and southern Wisconsin. Wool production has 

 found its way to the Rocky Mountains. The high specific 

 value of wool enables this grazing industry to thrive on rough 

 lands at great distances from the market, hence it gives place 

 to perishable products or products of lower specific value near 

 the markets and on lands suited to field crops. World-wide 

 competition has been an important factor in keeping the price 

 of wool low, and in discouraging wool production in most parts 

 of the United States. During the world war, conditions were 



