270 



Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



bined. In addition to the large numbers west of the Missouri river, 

 sheep are densely distributed in central and southeastern Ohio, south- 

 western Pennsylvania, and southern Michigan, and are rather densely 

 distributed also in northern Kentucky, southern Iowa, and northern 

 Missouri. Ohio and adjoining territory constitute the most important 

 sheep raising section east of the Missouri river. 



Centers of production. — The fact that the larger proportion of our 

 sheep are in the West is reflected in the location of the center of sheep 

 production in the United States. According to the 1920 census, the 

 center of sheep production is in the southwest corner of Nebraska. 

 The beef cattle center is in central Kansas, the dairy cattle center is 

 in western Illinois, and the hog center is in northeastern Missouri. 



Fig. 96. — Distribution of sheep in the United States. The dense spots shown 

 in the West are due in part to the date of enumeration, January 1, when many sheep 

 were being fed in the irrigated districts, and in part to the enumeration of sheep in 

 that county in which the owner resides, even though the sheep may be in a far distant 

 region. 



These centers are determined by drawing a line east and west on the 

 map so as to equally divide the total number of sheep or other live 

 stock in the United States. Then a line is drawn north and south, 

 again equally dividing the total number of animals. The intersection 

 of the two lines is called the center of production. The center may 

 or may not fall in a region where a large number of such animals are 

 raised. 



Conditions suitable to sheep breeding. — Sheep are rather similar 

 to cattle in their adaptability to range conditions and to improved and 



