Consumption of Feed by Livestock, 1909-56: Relation Between Feed, Livestock, and Food at the National Level

Excerpt: The people of the United States now eat more meat, milk, and eggs per capita than in 1910, yet less feed is consumed by livestock in producing the per capita supplies of these foods. The measurement of changes in feed-conversion efficiency is a complex job. This report attempts to show quantitatively the feed consumed by each class of livestock and for each livestock product annually, for nearly half a century, or since 1910. More product per unit of feed results from improvements in livestock, feeds, and management. These improvements flow from the combined research of workers in such fields as agronomy, animal breeding, nutrition, economics, and farm management. Lower feed costs to farmers and a more abundant food supply for consumers are the rewards.