PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION 



During the past eight years there has been added to the curriculum 

 in most of our agricultural colleges a new course dealing with the tj^es 

 of farm animals, market demands, and market classes of live stock. 

 More properly speaking, it has been inserted at the very beginning of 

 the work in animal husbandry, forming, as it logically does, the founda- 

 tion course in the study of that important branch of agriculture. This 

 is a soundly practical study; the student is brought to a much clearer 

 conception of values and a much better appreciation of live stock than 

 was possible under the former system of teaching. 



Recognizing the need of a text on this subject which could be placed 

 in the hands of students, the writer prepared and printed a loose-leaf 

 edition which has been used at Ohio State University during the past 

 three years. This met with favorable comment, and requests have 

 been made that the material be put into book form. After careful 

 revision and the addition of a number of illustrations, this is now 

 attempted in the hope that students and teachers and the general 

 reader as well may find such a book useful. 



The arrangement of the subject-matter corresponds to the order 

 usually followed in teaching, but may be varied as desired, each sec- 

 tion of the book— Cattle, Sheep, Hogs, and Horses— being complete 

 in itself. 



The writer desires to express his indebtedness to numerous com- 

 mission men, buyers for the packing houses, and others who have 

 kindly given their assistance during his quests for information, and to 

 numerous experiment station publications, particularly the series of 

 excellent bulletins issued by the Illinois Station setting forth the results 

 of their studies of the Chicago and St. Louis markets. Acknowledg- 

 ment of valued assistance is due my present co-workers, and also 

 Professors C. S. Plumb and F. R. Marshall at Ohio State University. 



Iowa State College H. W. VAUGHAN 



July, 1915 







