3. 
Modern Business Geography 
The second section where the raising of beef cattle is the dominant 
industry includes the grasslands scattered throughout the mountains 
and plateaus farther west. There are not nearly so many cattle 
in this section, however, as on the Great Plains. Although the area 
is larger, the rainfall is less than in the plains, and grass is less abun- 
dant. In addition to this, much of the land is too rugged for cattle. 
Feeding cattle for market. In both sections enormous quantities 
of alfalfa are raised in limited areas favored with irrigation (F ig. 19). 
This appetizing clover is fed to the cattle during the winter or when 
the natural pasture fails because of unusual dryness. Alfalfa is used 
also for fattening the cattle for the market. 
Some of the cattle in the dry cattle-raising sections become fat on 
the natural pasture, but the majority are comparatively thin. When 
they are about three years old, those that are fat are collected into cor- 
rals in the fall and are driven into freight cars to be shipped directly to 
the meat-packing centers, such as Kansas City and Chicago. The 
thin animals are sent to the corn belt. They are purchased by the 
farmers, who feed them generously upon corn and hay during the 
winter, and pasture them on good grass for a few months in early 
spring. Then as sleek, fat cattle, they are sold to the slaughter 
houses for a sum that pays the farmer a good price not only for his 
corn and hay, but for his labor. Moreover, the manure from the 
cattle has enriched the soil of his farm. 
— 
EACH DOT REPReS 
2000 HE A® 
UNITED STATES 
AND CANADA 
NUMBER OF 
CATTLE 
Fia. 67. Comparison with Figure 31, page 47, shows the close relation between corn growing 
and meat production. It also helps to explain why Chicago, Kansas City, and Omaha are the 
leading centers of the meat-packing industrv. (Milch cows are not included on this man.)