Fig. 63. Out on the range in the cattle country.
Ewing Gallown:
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE SOURCES OF ANIMAL PRODUCTS
AnmaLs stand second only to plants among the sources of the world’s
chief products. They also help man in his work. Some are used
only as beasts of burden, a still larger number supply food, and
all yield raw materials such as hides, wool, hair, or feathers. More-
over, cows and poultry yield not only meat, but still more valu-
able products in the form of milk and eggs. The products from
animals are so important that they support numerous great manu-
facturing industries, such as slaughtering, meat canning, tanning,
shoemaking, the wool industry, and the butter and cheese industry.
In some countries — Uruguay, for instance — animal farming is
even more important than all the other farming activities combined.
Some difficulties of animal farming. Although "animals appear
almost to take care of themselves, it is really very difficult to protect
them from disease and injury, especially when young. It is difficult
also to provide every animal with daily food of the proper quality
and quantity. Even if pasture land is available during the warm part
of the year, other food must be provided throughout the cold season.
It must not be forgotten that great crops of hay, corn, and oats are
raised primarily to feed domestic animals when they cannot be
pastured. Moreover, the farmer must guard his domestic animals
not only from disease and from pests, but from severe winter cold.
]3