BULLETIX 425, U. S. DEPAETMEISTT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



As shown in Table 3, cows represent 41 per cent of the total number 

 of animal units, and together with young stock and bulls, comprise 

 over 63 per cent of all the lire stock. This gives some idea of the 

 extent of dairying in the district as compared with other live-stock 

 enterprises. 



The sheep business and beef-cattle industry, though relatively 

 miimportant, are financiaUy successful when well managed. To be 

 highly successful these industries require considerable capital and a 

 thorough knowledge of the business. In both types of farming labor 

 costs are relatively low. On the farms tabulated, steers constituted 

 4.2 per cent of the total animal units and sheep 2.1 per cent. A study 

 was also made of a few selected typical sheep and beef -cat tie farms. 

 These farms had the advantage of large acreage and considerable 

 capital. The labor incomes were very good. The average farmer in 

 this district hc.s not sufficient capital to buy enough animals or to 



control enough suit- 

 able land for beef cat- 

 tle or sheep farming. 

 Unless he can furnish 

 winter feed he is com- 

 pelled, regardless of 

 price, to buy his live 

 stock in the spring 

 and sell in the fall. 

 This tends to make the 

 business speculative 

 for the man of moder- 

 ate means. Brieflv 



ENTERPRISE 



ANIMAL UNITS 

 1 2 3 4 S 



DAIRY cows 



YOUNG CATTLE 



BULLS 



STEERS 



WORK HORSES 



COLTS 



SHEEP 



HOGS 



POULTRY 



_^ 





_^^__ 











■HBH 





^^^ 









B 







J^BBHSB 





flHHV8 



D 







FlG.4.- 



-Animal units per farm. (Average of 801 farms in norhtem 

 Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.) 



ate means 



stated, the requirements for success in the production of beef and 

 mutton on a large scale in this territory are plenty of feed and water, 

 sufficient capital, and a knowledge of how and when to buy and sell. 



Though there are not many exclusively sheep or beef-cattle farms 

 in the district, it is not unusual to find such animals kept in small 

 numbers at a profit. They help to utilize unimproved land. The 

 sheep, especially, are of considerable importance in connection with 

 the clearing of new land. (See fig. 5.) On the average farm in the cut- 

 over district both these enterprises are at present very much limited 

 through lack of winter feed. 



The crops that can be grown successfully in this district are well 

 adapted to the production of hogs of the bacon type. At present 

 hogs constitute only 5.8 per cent of the animal units on each farm, 

 but as larger acreages of corn, rye, barley, clover, alfalfa, soy beans, 

 and Canadian field peas are grown more hogs can be produced at a 



