Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



147 



Beef cattle breeding in the United States centers largely in two 

 regions: (1) the western portion of the corn belt, and (2) the great 

 plains region of Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. The last census 

 showed that in 1920 Texas had more than two and one-half times as 

 many beef cows and heifers of breeding age as her nearest competitor, 

 Iowa. Texas had over 17 per cent of all the beef cows and heifers of 

 breeding age in the United States. Texas and the Southwest annually 

 send large numbers of calves and young cattle to the corn belt and to 

 the northern range states for stocking and feeding purposes. The 

 movement of cattle from the Southwest is northerly and easterly. 

 Other western states contribute to the annual crop, and the central 



Fig. 48.— Distribution of beef cattle in the United States. 



states produce many of their own beef cattle, but the Southwest is the 

 great supply source of calves and young stock to be grown and finished 

 in other regions. As stated by James E. Poole, market editor of the 

 Breeder's Gazette, "Texas and other sections of the great southwestern 

 breeding ground have replenished northern pastures year after year 

 from a seemingly inexhaustible supply. Owing to its climatic and 

 physical character, it is probable that for all time to come this western 

 breeding ground will continue to replenish the feed-lots and pastures 

 of the Mississippi and Missouri basins." Texas and the southern 

 range are best adapted to economical calf production, the northern 

 range to maturing and grass fattening, and the corn belt to grain 

 finishing. 



