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THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION
the speed of the chemical reactions which occur in the rumen and
may thereby affect the rate of flow of nutrients from that organ.
This rate of flow may also be controlled, to some extent, by the
nutritive requirements of the animal, which would depend on
such factors as movement, etc. The age of the animal may be a
factor, either directly or indirectly, through a change in the relation of the amount of feed consumed to the volume of the rumino
--reticular cavity. Individuality and appetite are also factors
which are probably of importance in the study.
1. Recent Research Results in Cattle Feed Preparation. Silver, E. A., Agr.
Eng., 1935, V. 16, p. 257.
ADJUSTMENT OF PORK PRODUCTION TO LAND
PLANNING PROGRAM
L. A. WEAVER
University of Missouri
In order to discuss intelligently the adjustment of pork production to a land planning program, it would be desirable to have
accurate information regarding (1) future demand for pork and
pork products and (2) just what the results of a land planning
program will be. Since it is impossible to predict just what will
happen with respect to either of these points, it is obvious that
no very definite conclusions can be reached at this time.
The demand for pork products will, of course, be influenced
by a large number of factors such as whether we continue largely on a domestic consumption basis or whether we are able to get
back or increase our export trade; the outlook for population,
including birth rate and immigration; whether the back to the
farm movement which has been marked during the last five years
continues; to say nothing of the important but uncertain element
of ability of industrial workers and other consumers to purchase
such products and the amounts of meats, fats, etc., which may
be received in this country as imports.
A study of domestic consumption data shows that several outstanding changes in diet have occurred since the beginning of
the present century. There has been, for example, a decrease
in per capita consumption of cereals, principally in flour and
torn meal offset partially by an increase in consumption of sugar
with an increase in the consumption of animal products, including meat, milk, poultry, and eggs. It is estimated that at present
about three-fourths of our total crop land is used to produce the
animal products consumed annually. The per capita consump-
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION
99
tion of beef and veal at the beginning of the century, also the
average during 1909-13, was over 70 pounds while consumption
of pork (exclusive of lard) was about 60 pounds. These figures
are now practically reversed so that, particularly if lard be added
to pork, the possibilities of relatively large consumption of pork
and pork products is at least indicated if available and at prices
making their use economical. There are, of course, some fundamental reasons why pork may be preferred by the laboring
class and why it may be furnished at relatively low prices. These
are so well understood that it is not necessary to discuss them
at this time.
F r o m a consumption standpoint then, the pork producer has
reason to expect a continued preference for his product if our
people have the ability to buy. It would seem, therefore, particularly if we assume that this country can produce pork efficiently and can, because of this, regain at least part of our export business, that there should be no reason to limit production
from a demand standpoint.
Just what may be the result of a land planning program is
perhaps even more difficult to predict than the demand for pork
products.
The objective of land planning is emphasized by a sectional
conference held at Ames, Iowa, is stated as follows: "a system of
farming for each area which would, if carried through, result in
(1) conservation of the productivity of the land and perhaps
eventually actually increase that productivity; (2) permit development of practical and effective erosion control; (3) eventually
result in the wisest use of the land which would at the same time
mean the wisest system of management for that land." "
No doubt committees have been at work in each of the various
states to devise ways and means of accomplishing the objective
as outlined and recommendations have been or will be made.
While the conditions in Missouri may or may not be similar to
those of other states or the country as a whole, they may be
used to form a basis for discussion.
For Missouri, tentative recommendations regarding the production of grains call for a reduction of 23 per cent (over 1 million
acres) in corn acreage, an increase of 15 per cent (about 500,000
acres) in wheat, practically no change in oats, and the devoting
of half a million acres to rye and barley which heretofore have
not been significant crops. The committee expects an increase
in corn yields per acre, estimated at 5 per cent, but with a 23
per cent reduction in acreage it is expected that total yields of
corn will be materially reduced. It has been assumed that as a
result of corn reduction most of the consequent reduction in
consumption of concentrates would be absorbed by the hog enter-
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prise so that the adjustments for livestock would result in a
reduction in hogs amounting to 16 per cent in the short r u n and
11.5 per cent in the long run. Other classes of livestock were increased about 3 per cent for the short r un adjustment and approximately 9 per cent for the long run. Sheep were not increased quite as fast as beef and dairy animals.
F r o m the above the chief change indicated in the livestock
picture, then, as a result o f land planning might be a shift from
corn and hogs to more beef cattle, dairy cattle and sheep. That
such will or should actually be the result may be open to question.
In the first place, a shift in areas devoted to the production of
corn from less to more fertile acres and increased production
due to better rotations and other improved farming methods
may result in the amount of corn available for hog feeding not
being materially reduced. Increased amounts of feed grains
other than corn, i.e. wheat, barley and rye, might even provide
an increase in the amount of concentrates available.
Granting, however, that less feed grains are available, it seems
possible that the same amount of pork might well be produced
by the adoption of more efficient methods long known but never
generally practiced and perhaps followed even less now than
previously, including use of a more efficient type of animal,
sanitation, two litters per year where practicable, and a more
intelligent use of protein supplements, the amounts and kinds
of which may be increased as, for example, dairy by-products, as
the result of a planning program. Greater use of the better hog
pastures will also no doubt decrease the amount of grain needed.
To this list may be added Other known methods of increasing
efficiency of production to such an extent as to call for no decrease in numbers of hogs produced.
But even if feeding grains are limited and improvement in
production methods not accomplished, it is still conceivable that
hog numbers should not be correspondingly reduced. The efficiency- of the hog as a meat producer and his other distinct advantages as a livestock enterprise are well understood and must
not be overlooked. If now we use 40 per cent of the corn produced for pork production and it becomes necessary, perhaps it
would be wise to use less corn in producing beef and mutton
and feed a larger percentage of the grain produced to swine.
It would seem safe, therefore, in thinking of adjustment of
pork production to a land planning program to emphasize
changes which m a y result from improvement in production
methods r ath er than changes in numbers and "leave the livestock pattern to work out its own adjustment after price levels
and demand and supply forces shift."