Circular No. 905 
July 1952 *« Washington, D.C. 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Economic Use of Forages in Livestock 
Production on Corn Belt Farms 
By Russet O. OLson, agricultural economist, Bureau of Agricultural Economics, 
and Haru O. Heapy, agricultural economist, Iowa Agricultural Experiment 
Station 
CONTENTS 
Page Page 
Introduction. wav. ariet pre _ it 1| Relationship of feed-utilization sys- 
Forage-grain substitution — rela- tem to risk and uncertainty___ 32 
GIONS MPS tree eer ewe LB 2 Feed combinations and market 
Relationship of crop enterprises UNCELCRINGY Seah Oe i ce 32 
and forage utilization________ 2 Adjustments to changing price 
Livestock substitution relation- relationshipsi.2 2.4% at_sis 38 
SUN | Os) inet x Ora) AN te ees aaa erate A SUMO ATE, So eh aro pee eerie speed oD 4l 
Cost relationships. 2.5) 22. 10 Rotation relationships_________ 42 
Forage-grain production in rela- Feed substitution in livestock 
tion! to mitilization ities nis 12 rationsi 8 HOT. ol Boe s 42 
Capital and labor requirements of Capital and labor requirements of 
feed-utilization systems- —~___ 16 feed-utilization systems_ _-___-_ 43 
Labor requirements__..____-_-- 18 Risk and uncertainty_______-_- 44 
Returns trom labor. 22222-2205) | On dbitveratune citeda.2 25 2 he 2 wen 44 
Capital requirements_________- 22 
Returns on investment in rela- 
tion to feeding system______~_ 26 
INTRODUCTION 
Well-managed, high-yielding grasses and legumes have a well- 
defined place in the crop rotation on Corn Belt farms. They retard 
erosion, improve soil structure and tilth, increase and sustain yields 
of other crops in the rotation, and provide more feed for livestock. 
Both conservation and production benefits from them are important. 
The growing need for more livestock products and rising costs now 
opppsye the importance of good pastures and meadows as sources 
of feed. 
Farmers in the Corn Belt generally recognize the soil-building 
characteristics of grasses and legumes. Many, however, do not use 
optimum acreage of these crops to provide cheap feed and to improve 
their soils because they do not realize the full potentialities of their 
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