32 Western Live-stock Management 



of their sustenance even under these conditions is derived 

 from the range. On the other hand, the range has no 

 value for hogs or dairy cattle, and if the hve-stock indus- 

 try was confined to these two kinds of stock, all of the im- 

 mense areas of range and pasture land would go unutilized. 

 Both the dairy cattle and hogs can use some pasture, but 

 it must be of exceptional quality, such as is produced on 

 the tillable lands and not the scattering bunch-grass and 

 sage-brush found upon the ranges. 



The labor necessary in proportion to the gross income, 

 or in proportion to the capital invested, is very small 

 with horses and beef cattle as compared with dairy cattle, 

 while sheep and hogs occupy an intermediate place. One 

 man can take care of beef cattle to the value of perhaps 

 $20,000, while $1000 invested in good grade dairy cows 

 will give him all the work he can take care of. With 

 sheep he could probably handle an investment of $3000 

 to $5000 and with hogs about the same. 



The relative advantages and disadvantages of the 

 various kinds of stock are also affected by their prolificacy 

 and by their quickness of maturity. The time elapsing 

 from the date at which the females are bred until the 

 progeny are of marketable age is about as follows : hogs, 

 9 months; sheep, 12 months; beef cattle, 3 to 4 years; 

 horses, 5 to 6 years. The offspring of 100 head of fe- 

 males of breeding age will average in twelve months as 

 follows: Hogs (2 litters), 1000; hogs (1 litter), 500; 

 sheep, 85; cattle, 70; horses, 50. This of course has 

 much bearing on the relative investment in breeding- 

 stock and the percentage of income from it. With horses 

 the gross income on the investment in stock will be about 

 20 per cent per annum, while with hogs it will be about 

 700 per cent. All of these factors must be considered in 



