Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 313 



Human food produced by farm animals from 100 pounds of digestible matter consumed 



Marketable Edible 



Animal product solids 



Pounds Pounds 



Cow (milk) 139.0 18.0 



Pig (dressed) 25.0 15.6 



Cow (cheese) 14.8 9.4 



Calf (dressed) 36.5 8.1 



Cow (butter) 6.4 5.4 



Poultry (eggs) 19.6 5.1 



Poultry (dressed) 15.6 4.2 



Lamb (dressed) 9.6 3.2 



Steer (dressed) 8.3 2.8 



Sheep (dressed) 7.0 2.6 



It should be noted, however, that the table does not take into 

 consideration the relative cost or value of the feedstuffs consumed by 

 the different animals. Failure to do so is especially detrimental to the 

 sheep, steer, and lamb. Nor does the table include the labor cost of 

 producing the various products. Neither does it include in the case 

 of the dairy cow the feed and labor required to grow the cow or heifer 

 to milking age. Nor does it consider the relative food values of the 

 edible solids produced by the various animals. If these factors were 

 included, the pig would certainly approach the milk cow even more 

 closely in economy of production, and might equal or surpass her. We 

 should remember that any fair comparison must include all costs and 

 all factors in any way concerned in economy of production. Unfor- 

 tunately for the pig this would include the losses caused by disease, 

 exposure, injuries, and other causes. 



The writer desires to emphasize the fact that too much importance 

 should not be attached to comparisons similar to the one made in the 

 above table. Such comparisons are valuable only in that they make 

 us think and impress us with the special attributes of different animals. 

 Each kind of live stock has its proper place and each is most economical 

 and profitable under the right set of conditions. For most economical 

 utilization and conversion of pastures and farm crops, all kinds of farm 

 animals are essential. And as one man remarked, "We cannot live 

 by milk, or pork, or eggs, or beef alone; and the cow doesn't lay eggs, 

 and the steer doesn't give milk, and the lamb can't grow, pork, and the 

 chicken is no good for beef; so why argue about it? To which his 

 friend replied that he 'guessed that was so.' Writers on live-stock 

 subjects often make comparisons to emphasize particular points. 

 Readers sometimes make the mistake of attaching an importance to 

 such comparisons, or of drawing a conclusion from them, that is not 

 justified or was not intended by the writers. 



Types of hogs.— Swine are useful as a source of meat and lard. 

 Some swine produce meat only, and some produce lard as well as meat. 

 Differences in the demands of consumers of pork, together with differ- 



