CHAPTER XV. 



MOWER COUNTY SHORT-HORNS. 



While dairy farming is one of the most profitable 

 lines of production for the general farmer on small and 

 medium-sized farms, beef production is nearly as profit- 

 able and is one of the most enjoyable. The dairyman 

 in part pays for his larger , profits by working longer 

 hours, by housing more hired men and by himself and 

 his family carrying greater burdens. The beef farmer 

 gets less gross income and less net money profit, but 

 his chores are done quicker ; he needs hired help only 

 at certain seasons of the year. Now that ranch pro- 

 duction of meats has reached its zenith and the growth 

 of our cities continues to increase the demand for meats, 

 we can hope for the prices of beef to average higher 

 in future than they have during the last decade of the 

 past century. 



Hereafter range production will not control the 

 price of meats. The great regions of arable farms will 

 regulate the supply and the price. When prices are 

 high, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and the States which sur- 

 round them will increase their product, and when pro- 

 duction exceeds the demand a less number of cattle 

 will be raised in this great region of live stock farming. 

 Special-purpose beef cattle will no doubt be raised in 

 large numbers in the region named. We will have an 

 increasing number of breeders of special-purpose beef 

 cattle to supply bulls for ranches and for farmers who 

 raise beef. These breeders will promote the business 

 of raising special-purpose beef cattle among farmers' to 

 whom they desire to sell registered bulls and females. 

 Prof. J. H. Shepperd of the North Dakota Experiment 

 Station, in a paper before the recent meeting of the 



