42 
LABOR AND MATERIALS USED IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION 
Livestock constitute a minor part of the farm business on most of 
these farms and are kept primarily to provide a means of marketing 
the surplus of rough feeds. In view of this fact, the variations from 
farm to farm in the amounts of feeds used are not so significant as 
in other areas where more feeds of a marketable character are fed. 
Unit requirements for livestock include the number of hours of 
man labor and horse work, the number of pounds of the various 
feeds, and the amount expended for veterinary services and medicine. 
Because the physical amounts of these last items are not significant, 
the money value is used. The products of each class of livestock are 
indicated by physical units, and where there are joint products both 
are given. In the case of mature animals such as cows and work 
horses, the requirements are listed on a per head basis. Hog require- 
ments are based on 100 pounds of pork produced. For other classes 
of livestock the livestock 3 unit basis is used. 
Straw has not been listed in the requirements either as roughage or 
bedding. On practically every farm each class of livestock has 
access to all the straw it can consume. Since several classes of live- 
stock may run to the same stack and much is trampled under foot, 
it is impracticable to determine the quantities actually used as feed 
by the different classes of livestock. Straw is available in abundance 
on all farms of this region, and unless livestock are kept it is ordinarily 
allowed to go to waste. 
The range of requirements for 1922 and the averages for 1920, 1921, 
and 1922 are given. 
MIXED CATTLE 
The cattle enterprise has a dual purpose. On most of the farms 
the production of beef is predominant, although dairy products are 
more important on a few farms. Some farmers keep only enough 
cows to produce milk, cream, and butter for home use. Any surplus 
in the way of dairy products or calves not used in maintaining the 
herd is sold. Most of the cattle are grades — Shorthorn, Hereford, 
and Hoist ein. Although there are no strictly purebred herds, a 
considerable number of purebred individuals are found on these 
farms. The calves are dropped at all seasons, but there is a tendency 
for more to be dropped in early spring and late fall. About one-third 
of these are sold for veal. A few are butchered for home use and the 
rest sold as beef or kept to maintain the herd. 
FEED AND LABOR REQUIREMENTS FOR CATTLE 
Practically all feeds except protein supplements are home grown. 
Table 23 gives the feed requirements, veterinary services and medi- 
cine, and production of beef and butterfat on a livestock unit basis. 
Butterfat per milk cow is also shown. 
3 A livestock unit is an arbitrary standard, consisting of a mature cow, steer, bull, borse, or the equiva- 
lent in feed requirements of other animals. The following are the numbers of the various farm animals 
used to constitute one livestock unit: One mature horse, cow, or mule; 2 colts; 2 young cattle; 7 sheep; 
14 lambs; 5 mature hogs; 10 young hogs; 100 poultry. 
