Problems of increasing animal production.

In a recent survey by the United States Department of Agriculture (1961) it was estimated that the animal-protein shortage in the deficit countries, in terms of non-fat milk solids, was the equivalent of 1.8 million metric tons or roughly one-third of the U.S. annual milk production. The most critical shortages were noted to be in the Far East, followed by communist Asia, Africa and Latin America. This survey had been preceded by the 1960 report of FAO, The State of Food and Agriculture, in which it was concluded that per caput supplies of livestock products in the less developed countries had not generally increased during the past few years and indeed had decreased in some instances (FAO, 1960). I t was further noted that although an increase in livestock production is the most needed form of diversification in the less developed regions there had been in fact a decrease. It seems obvious that the measures taken to date to improve livestock production in many of the less developed or developing countries have been woefully inadequate. In addition to its important role of providing high-quality protein, other nutritional essentials and such things as wool and draught power, all of which are much needed by the peoples of the developing countries, improved livestock production is essential to the maintenance and further improvement of crop production through increased soil fertility. Further it should be recognized that much of the earth’s surface can be utilized for the production of food for man only by grazing it with livestock. It should also be recognized that it is only through utilization by livestock that crop residues and various by-products and waste products unsuitable for man can be converted into edible human food. Since space does not permit a detailed analysis of all the factors that may affect animal production, I will emphasize principally the more important technological aspects.